This week, Tesla started rolling the first group of Model 3’s off of its assembly plant, and giving the keys to some of the first buyers – which were mostly Tesla employees. But that got many people thinking about electric vehicles or EV’s and Android Auto. Since Tesla does not use Android Auto, but has its own interface with a large touch screen in the center console, which EV is the best for Android Auto, and is at a comparable price and range to the Model 3, which is around $35,000? Well that would be the Chevy Bolt, which we drove earlier this year.
Obviously there are major differences between the Chevy Bolt and the Tesla Model 3, and most people will want the Model 3 instead, but there is a pretty long waiting list for that car already (we’re looking at late 2018 or early 2019 now). But the Bolt has a driving range of around 238 miles, and depending on how you’re driving, and how often you are on the highway, you could get closer to 300 miles. That’s similar to the stock Model 3 which gets 220 miles on a charge. Now the Chevy Bolt does look much different from Chevy and GM’s other vehicles, it looks more like a futuristic car. It’s also lightweight, which allows the battery to push the car further, which is a 60kWh LG battery inside, which is under the floor of the car.
When it comes to Android Auto, the Chevy Bolt has it built into its interface. Using that large touch screen in the center console. It is easy to use, and also very responsive. Now many will say that you could mount your phone in the Tesla Model 3 and use Android Auto. This is true. But the experience is far from the same. With having Android Auto built in, it will use GPS and 4G LTE from your vehicle. This is true with GM vehicles since they have AT&T’s 4G LTE built in, while Tesla and some other car makers do not. This takes it easier on your phone so that it’s not getting super hot while using Android Auto, which is still fairly important.
The Bolt is actually fairly spacious, considering how small the car looks from the outside. There’s plenty of head room, leg room and even cargo space. The Tesla Model 3 is the same, except it doesn’t look so tiny from the outside. Now, it’s tough to say that the Bolt would be a better option than the Model 3 based on looks and performance. But based on availability, pricing and the connectivity options available, it may not be a better option, but it is a good option if you’re in the market for a new car and are looking at electric vehicles right now. We did drive the Bolt, and haven’t driven the Model 3 yet, so keep that in mind. But the Bolt will come in at under $30,000 with a tax credit, but that depends on your state and also which trim you get of the Bolt. As the Chevy Bolt can cost as much as $45,000 with the Premiere trim.