2017 Chevrolet Bolt's 238-Mile Range is a Shot Across Tesla's Bow

After promising to surpass the storied 200-mile mark with its upcoming “affordable” electric car, General Motors has revealed that the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt will boast an EPA-estimated range of 238 miles.

The space-maximized EV’s long electric legs gives GM bragging rights over its chief rival, the Tesla Model 3.

Neither vehicle has hit driveways yet, though GM North America president Alan Batey claims the Bolt should “start to become available at Chevrolet dealerships later this year.” Batey’s wording lends credence to a much-debated report that claims substantial Bolt deliveries won’t begin until January of next year.

Regardless, the Bolt’s arrival comes nearly a year before the first Model 3 deliveries, anticipated in late 2017. Deliveries of Tesla’s mega-hyped $30,000 EV will go to the roughly 373,000 reservation holders first, meaning a new EV buyer with cash in hand would face a long wait. GM wants that buyer to hop in a cab and head to a Chevy dealer.

Tesla claims the Model 3’s range will be an estimated 215 miles, meaning the Bolt surpasses its independent rival by 23 miles. The least-expensive Tesla currently on the market — the Model S 60 — sports 210 miles of range. In the EV game, every extra mile of range is akin to horsepower figures during the 1960s muscle car wars.

While a 60 kWh battery pack provides plenty of juice, some of the Bolt’s range prowess comes via aggressive regenerative braking. Chevy has announced a “regen paddle” for the model, which allows drivers to brake using just a steering column-mounted lever, while at the same time sending as much captured power back to the battery as possible.

Tesla’s sedan models might have sex appeal, but the Bolt promises space appeal. The model’s designers aimed to provide compact-sized hatchback space on a subcompact footprint. Some aerodynamic slipperiness was sacrificed in the interest of boosting interior volume, but the impact on driving range doesn’t seem that great.

The automaker hasn’t released pricing, though it does maintain that the Bolt’s MRSP will come in just below $37,500, before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

[Image: General Motors]