I voted less than 220 miles and no Tesla car in my future. I believe that GM will be conservative and peg the range at 215-218 miles. In general use, the range will exceed 220 miles. As an example of exceeding the published ranges, I just got 55.3 miles from the 17.1 kWh battery in my 2014 (late build) and 51.1 mpg from the ICE over a distance of 49.1 miles on a trip of 104.4 miles two days ago.

 

It will be less than 220...especially in a New England winter...but then it might be higher in the dead of summer...

Whatever those numbers end up...they'll be enough for our daily use...

 

I voted <220 miles and did not reserve Model 3. By the time I was able to get to the internet for making the reservation, there were about 250K ahead of me. I already have 2 EVs, but the LEAF will be ready for sending out to pasture when the Model 3 arrives in larger numbers. In the meantime, the Volt is just fine for longer trips, if I get around to taking them.

 

With 60 kWh on board, I expect the Bolt will have more than 220 miles EPA range.

GSP

 

I think it will be 200 miles EPA and just like the volt some will get more or less depending on the weather.

 

Hard to see a connection between the range of the Bolt EV and Tesla. The Bolt EV will get over 200 miles. How much more is a question. I think of it as a probability curve with a long tail from 200, abruptly falling off at 215 miles and ending at 225 miles. So maybe 215 miles?

Don't see what this has to do with Tesla other than Tesla pushing GM to get to 200 miles. The big drawback with a Tesla is quality and reliability, not range. I also don't think there is any real difference between 215 and 225. Once you get to 200 miles you will have enough for local driving. For longer trips you'd want 300-400 miles. That would give you more options as to when to stop and so on. I rarely go less than 200 miles on a trip before taking a break, and if you're going 75 MPH you won't be able to go that far in a car with an EPA rated range of 215 miles or 225 miles or maybe even 250 miles. Speed kills.

 

Hard to see a connection between the range of the Bolt EV and Tesla. The Bolt EV will get over 200 miles. How much more is a question. I think of it as a probability curve with a long tail from 200, abruptly falling off at 215 miles and ending at 225 miles. So maybe 215 miles?

See my post above. I meant this more as a test of perceptions. The actual range, in the end, doesn't really matter, but I've seen a community of people who should be supporting the roll out of EVs downplaying the range as just another compliance EV. I would think that, instead, they should be promoting the fact that the public now has another option for an EV that exceeds 200 miles of range.

 

Not that people can go back and change their responses, but I wasn't really asking about expected range but rather EPA rating. The reason I asked is, the Tesla community as a whole seems to be very anti-Bolt. I remember seeing a post on one of the Tesla forums when the Bolt was first unveiled, and a very large percentage of people felt that the Bolt couldn't possibly have more than 180 miles of range.

We now know that the range will be a minimum of 200 miles, but most GM employees who tested the Bolt said that the range should exceed 220 miles. If it is close to the i3's efficiency (which it should be), it will be between 225 and 235 miles.

Because I'm assessing the bias of the Tesla community, I guess I should have quoted the range of the Bolt's (in)direct competitor and put the cutoff at 215 miles.

 

the Tesla community as a whole seems to be very anti-Bolt. I remember seeing a post on one of the Tesla forums when the Bolt was first unveiled, and a very large percentage of people felt that the Bolt couldn't possibly have more than 180 miles of range.

There is certainly a segment of Tesla owners that view anything from GM as inferior, tainted, and not good enough no matter what. We see this with slams against the Volt for not being "pure" enough because it has a range extender gas engine. We see it with the Bolt with claims that GM can't possibly make a 200+ mile vehicle. Those that own both a Volt and Tesla tend not to be as dogmatic.

 

How does the EPA arrive at the range of an EV? Do they average the range from all conditions?

 

I didn't see this option: It'll be what it is, no matter what I think.

 

The reason that wasn't an option is because I wanted to know what you think.

Regardless, I'm finding the results of the poll fairly refreshing. Despite some of the negative comments I've read about how inferior the Bolt is, it appears that a majority of the members are fairly reasonable and unbiased. If anything, the members who own both a Tesla and a Volt appear to be more optimistic about the Bolt's capabilities, though it seems to be a much smaller demographic.

 

There's no category for "I don't own, but reserved, then cancelled the reservation for a tesla"

I guess technically, I don't own, but have reserved a tesla.

It's not the first time I'm all by myself in a category. I wonder how many volt owners also own horses, chickens and 5 John Deere tractors?

 

Just 5?...

 

People seem to have no idea what "EPA Rated" range means and voted accordingly. Lock the poll and close it since people can't read.

Keith

 

No, they only close threads if you bring up the word "v<deleted>". Now i've done it... In before the lock.

I wonder what the OP meant by "combined EPA range?" I think that would be different than eMPG.

 

I have no reservation nor intention to buy a Telsa, and voted "less than 220 miles".

In actual fact, I think it's going to be pretty close to 220 miles, but I think it's more likely to be a little under than a little over. GM management probably set a goal of "at least 200 miles while minimizing cost" for the design team, and I think they're good enough to come in at no more than 10% over. Any extra range comes at extra cost, so if the designers did a good job it's not going to have a whole lot more range than that.

 

I'm curious what sort of bias you think this will measure.

 

I assumed that he expected Tesla customers to have lower estimates for the Bolt's range because of a predisposition to assume that the Tesla would be superior. Personally I think it's a silly expectation, and in fact I expect the Bolt's range to be on the low side not because of any link to Tesla but because I'm assuming that they're trying to keep costs down. The whole point of the car is long range at "reasonable" cost, so you wouldn't want to have any larger (and therefore more expensive) a battery pack than you'd absolutely need to achieve that headline 200 mile range.

If you're looking for evidence of bias for or against the Bolt or the Tesla I think there's more meaningful data just in people's general postings on the site than in what this poll could reveal. And I'm sure that an analysis would reveal a spectrum of people from pro-Tesla through neutral and continuing on to pro-Bolt. And this being a Bolt forum I'd expect the pro-Bolt people to outnumber the pro-Tesla people here, but of course that has no predictive value about the greater world at large out there.

 

I don't think range has anything to do with it and even if it does, I think you need a larger gap...Even if it can get 235 EPA which many of you don't think it will, 20 miles difference just isn't enough...

As I've said from day one, they're two different vehicles...I believe most buyers of the Bolt will be already green buyers, hybrid, EV and Volt owners...I think for Tesla most non-Tesla owning folks currently own ICE...To over simply it, as I've said since day one, people are buying the Bolt to buy an long range EV, people are buying the TM3 to buy a Tesla...

 

Well, they are green and yellow, only smaller. But as mowers, the 54 inch decks and one with a 72 inch deck is monsterous compared to most people's 21" push mowers. Plus, green paint is expensive.

 

I think there is a difference between 0-60 mph and performance, and those who understand that difference distinguish themselves from posers and fanbois. My previous car was a legitimate performance car, and though a Ludicrous Mode Model S or X would easily out accelerate it, it would embarrass either one of those cars on a track or road course. Coming from owning several performance cars, the bar has been set for me in terms of what makes an actual performance car. Sure, 0-60 mph can be an indicator, but it is not an end-all-be-all. In terms of daily driving, a 7 to 9 second 0-60 mph is fine. Two seconds faster? Ok... yawn, but if you consider that performance, you probably consider a 268 hp Toyota Camry a performance car. Two seconds slower? It's starting to be too slow to provide a good driving experience, but it's still faster than half the vehicles on the road.

I'm not saying that Elon was wrong for marketing his cars to posers and wannabes, because it has worked out well for him so far. But those Tesla owners should understand that the Model S and Model X are not performance cars. They just happen to accelerate quicker than average. They are paying a premium for the perception of having a fast car.

 

...Coming from owning several performance cars, the bar has been set for me in terms of what makes an actual performance car. Sure, 0-60 mph can be an indicator, but it is not an end-all-be-all...

Speaking as a very utilitarian driver who rarely does a whole lot more than the speed limit and slows down on curves so as not to discomfort the passengers, I'd be interested to hear what characteristics you consider to be definitive for a "performance car".