Chevy Bolt EUV (review)

Chevy Bolt EUV Likes: Starting price is attractive. Spacious for its small footprint. Plenty of zip around town. An easy car to live with. Dislikes: No fast charge. It takes forever to charge. Range is limited. The Chevy Bolt EUV is one of the most affordable electric cars you can ever purchase. We’ve spent a week with one to see if it would persuade us to consider one. After the week, we’ve learned a lot about electric cars. We feel that despite it being so “cheap,”. It’s a good overall package; however, it isn’t the best package out there. Here’s why. Tesla may have the best electric vehicles in terms of range. However, not everyone can afford one. Thus, the Bolt EUV is the perfect package. It starts at $28,000* and rises to $37,000* depending upon which trim level you choose. (LT and Premier). We were given the Premier trim level, which came kitted with ventilated leather seats, a heated steering wheel, and a very nice panoramic sunroof. However, $37,000 isn’t anything to sniff at. But compared to a Model 3 we’ve seen. This is a pretty decent deal. Driving the Bolt EUV is easy. Its dinky dimensions make it easy to navigate around town and narrow parking bays. We love how quick the Bolt EUV feels on its feet. You can zip around town with sheer confidence. Steering feedback is good, and it handles quite nicely as well. However, on faster-paced roads. You may wish you had a bit more flexibility, as it struggles to keep up with faster traffic. Also, when you really put your foot down, the range does suffer. And we are putting this mildly. Overall, it’s an easy vehicle to live with if you keep a light foot on the throttle. The ride comfort is decent. It’s not luxury-car comfortable, but it’s better than most comparable vehicles we’ve driven (non-electric). We say this in terms of pricing. Living with a Bolt EUV is more of a lifestyle choice than anything else. Let me explain. With petrol-powered vehicles, you can fill up your tank in a few seconds or minutes and be done. Electric cars: you’ll have to wait for it to recharge. Depending upon the vehicle you choose. Tesla and many other electric cars out there have fast-charging capability. Meaning that you can get from a low percentage to 80% in less than 30 minutes. However, with the Bolt EUV. There is no such thing as “fast charging”. You’ll be waiting the full hour or maybe longer, depending on where you are recharging the batteries. I highly suggest that you go once you’re at half battery. The Bolt has an estimated 247 miles of range. Which, in theory, should be enough for a commute to and from work. However, that’s a “theory”. When you are in stop-and-go traffic, using the air-con or heated seats. Well, any type of accessory that will drain the battery fast. You’ll immediately see why the Bolt’s small range can be a bit of a headache. You’re forced to choose comfort over range. I don’t mind giving up a bit of comfort, however, when it’s almost 80 degrees with the sun beaming into the cabin and you’re in stop-and-go traffic. You’re going to want to have some comfort after a while. Again, we constantly keep mentioning Tesla. However, the Model Y we test-drove seems to have a better balance of range and comfort. We had the air-con on, and it didn’t harm the range as badly as in the Bolt EUV. Again, we know the price point between the two vehicles. However, we are just mentioning this because you are giving up quite a bit in terms of everyday usability with the Bolt EUV. The cabin has a nice feel in terms of materials and quality. The large 8-inch display is very easy to navigate through. Apple CarPlay is seamless to use overall. The driving position is spot on. You can monitor the corners of the car with sheer confidence. The boot is generous in space. If you need more space, you can fold down the rear seats. Do we see ourselves owning a Bolt EUV? Yes and No. We say “yes” because it’s a decent electric vehicle to own. If your commute is short and you don’t mind compromising on some comfort features. The Bolt EUV is the perfect commuter car. However, we say “no” because the range is quite limited. There’s no fast charging, so you’re going to be waiting at the charging station for a while. I don’t mind giving up the time while waiting because I was able to do homework or work-related tasks. I was even able to do a few TikTok videos, edit them, and post them. Yes, you will be waiting an hour for recharging. Living with the Bolt EUV has shown us that electric car technology has come a long way. We know there are better options out there. Many of them can use fast charging. We feel that those are better options in the long-term. Owners who have a garage will enjoy the Bolt EUV because you can simply plug it in at night and use it the next morning. However, those like us who don’t have that luxury. The Bolt EUV is more compromised and doesn’t make a convincing argument for us. We loved it overall, but we just wish the range wasn’t compromised and there was fast-charging capability.

We loathe the Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Electric cars are the future of green car technology. The whole concept of electric cars may not be new, but they are certainly packing new ways to extend range and make them more practical for everyday driving. With the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsuhishi is trying to reach out to the buyers who are more budget minded. With the low starting price of the i-MiEV can Mitsubishi justify a reason to buy electric?

Performance: The i-MiEV's electric motor produces 66hp with 145lb-ft of pull, which means its really smooth around town. If you find yourself in stop and go traffic, or feel that you want to boost your range. There's an eco-button which reduces the power of the electric motor and helps extend the range of the battery. The i-MiEV has a top speed of 81mph, so highway driving isn't a 'no-go' for this car.

Ride & Handling: The i-MiEV is best left for urban use, where you can benefit from its tiny dimensions and tight turning circle. However, the steering can be quite heavy at parking speeds and the ride is never settled. Leave the city streets and the car is easily upset by crosswinds. The narrow front tires provide very limited grip and makes highway driving a pain.

Refinement: i-MiEV has a boat load of wind and road noise which makes you wonder if electric cars are as quiet as they say they are. You can hear small amounts of whirr from the electric motor at town speeds, on the highway the whirr turns into an irritating whine.

Behind the wheel: Getting comfortable behind the driver's seat is a rather mixed note. The driver's seat adjusts for height, but the steering wheel is fixed which means it will be difficult for some to get comfortable. The instrumental panel controls are rather fiddly and you'll have to stretch to reach them.

Space & Practicality: The i-MiEV is a strict four-seat vehicle, but it depends on who the four are. Headroom isn't a problem, legroom is the bigger problem if you want to squeeze two adults in the rear seat. Their knees will be in the backs of the front passengers due to the thinly padded seats. With four passengers aboard, the boot is very small.

Equipment: The base trim adds 120V portable charging cable, CD-playe with MP3 compatibility, air-con and regenerative braking system. Top of the range adds alloy-wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel, power windows and an upgraded sound system.

Buying & Owning: The benefits of having an electric car is not having to pay for fuel. Instead you'll be paying very little on your electric bill. The only trade-off is that your range is very limited and the actual use of the i-MiEV is limited unlike the Nissan Leaf.
Buying a i-MiEV isn't a cheap proposition either. A $7,500 tax credit does help take the sting out of the purchase price.

Quality & Reliability: The build quality seems solid enough, some of the materials in the interior feel rather cheap but have a sturdy feel. Mitsubishi has enjoyed average reliability, with the i-MiEV however it is still unknown.

Safety & Security: The i-MiEV comes with front and side airbags with a roof mounted airbag to protect drivers in the event of a rollover. Stability control and traction control are standared to help aid traction due to the narrow front tires. There is a vehicle security system and immobilizer system to help keep theft at bay.

The i-MiEV is fun to drive around town. There's enough space for four passengers and running costs are very low. However, the downsides outweigh the positives. The ride comfort and handling outside of city limits is poor. The front tires are narrow and the range of the battery limits the practicality of the vehicle. Even with the tax credit, the i-MiEV is expensive and way too impractical for what it is. A more conventional hybrid offers better range while a smiliar sized gasoline counterpart offers a lower purchasing price. If a electric car is what you want and you won't have any need to venture outside of the city or drive further than the battery range. The i-MiEV is worth a look.

Devon's Pick: The ES makes the most sense because it's the cheapest. We'd wait for the technology to get cheaper or more sophisticated.

Likes: Most affordable electric car compared to others. Compact size and abundance of torque means its a breeze to drive around town. There's enough room for four and running costs of course are low.

Dislikes: Expensive to buy. Some of the cabin materials feel cheap. Steering wheel offers no adjustments, ride and handling is awful. The 'can't-go' far battery range limits practicality, and it takes forever to recharge.

Devon M

Devon test drives an all-electric Mitsubishi (Used)

Electric cars are the future of green car technology. The whole concept of electric cars may not be new, but they are certainly packing new ways to extend range and make them more practical for everyday driving. With the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsuhishi is trying to reach out to the buyers who are more budget minded. With the low starting price of the i-MiEV can Mitsubishi justify a reason to buy electric?

Performance: The i-MiEV's electric motor produces 66hp with 145lb-ft of pull, which means its really smooth around town. If you find yourself in stop and go traffic, or feel that you want to boost your range. There's an eco-button which reduces the power of the electric motor and helps extend the range of the battery. The i-MiEV has a top speed of 81mph, so highway driving isn't a 'no-go' for this car.

Ride & Handling: The i-MiEV is best left for urban use, where you can benefit from its tiny dimensions and tight turning circle. However, the steering can be quite heavy at parking speeds and the ride is never settled. Leave the city streets and the car is easily upset by crosswinds. The narrow front tires provide very limited grip and makes highway driving a pain.

Refinement: i-MiEV has a boat load of wind and road noise which makes you wonder if electric cars are as quiet as they say they are. You can hear small amounts of whirr from the electric motor at town speeds, on the highway the whirr turns into an irritating whine.

Behind the wheel: Getting comfortable behind the driver's seat is a rather mixed note. The driver's seat adjusts for height, but the steering wheel is fixed which means it will be difficult for some to get comfortable. The instrumental panel controls are rather fiddly and you'll have to stretch to reach them.

Space & Practicality: The i-MiEV is a strict four-seat vehicle, but it depends on who the four are. Headroom isn't a problem, legroom is the bigger problem if you want to squeeze two adults in the rear seat. Their knees will be in the backs of the front passengers due to the thinly padded seats. With four passengers aboard, the boot is very small.

Equipment: The base trim adds 120V portable charging cable, CD-playe with MP3 compatibility, air-con and regenerative braking system. Top of the range adds alloy-wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel, power windows and an upgraded sound system.

Buying & Owning: The benefits of having an electric car is not having to pay for fuel. Instead you'll be paying very little on your electric bill. The only trade-off is that your range is very limited and the actual use of the i-MiEV is limited unlike the Nissan Leaf.
Buying a i-MiEV isn't a cheap proposition either. A $7,500 tax credit does help take the sting out of the purchase price.

Quality & Reliability: The build quality seems solid enough, some of the materials in the interior feel rather cheap but have a sturdy feel. Mitsubishi has enjoyed average reliability, with the i-MiEV however it is still unknown.

Safety & Security: The i-MiEV comes with front and side airbags with a roof mounted airbag to protect drivers in the event of a rollover. Stability control and traction control are standared to help aid traction due to the narrow front tires. There is a vehicle security system and immobilizer system to help keep theft at bay.

The i-MiEV is fun to drive around town. There's enough space for four passengers and running costs are very low. However, the downsides outweigh the positives. The ride comfort and handling outside of city limits is poor. The front tires are narrow and the range of the battery limits the practicality of the vehicle. Even with the tax credit, the i-MiEV is expensive and way too impractical for what it is. A more conventional hybrid offers better range while a smiliar sized gasoline counterpart offers a lower purchasing price. If a electric car is what you want and you won't have any need to venture outside of the city or drive further than the battery range. The i-MiEV is worth a look.

Devon's Pick: The ES makes the most sense because it's the cheapest. We'd wait for the technology to get cheaper or more sophisticated. 

Likes: Most affordable electric car compared to others. Compact size and abundance of torque means its a breeze to drive around town. There's enough room for four and running costs of course are low.

Dislikes: Expensive to buy. Some of the cabin materials feel cheap. Steering wheel offers no adjustments, ride and handling is awful. The 'can't-go' far battery range limits practicality.

Devon M