I just rented an EV and didn’t want to give it back

I absolutely loved it and will probably replace my current gas car, a Forester, with one when it’s time. It was a Bolt, and though it’s kinda ugly, I loved everything else about it. It didn’t have many luxury options like heated seats or electric mirrors, and that was okay with me.

Why are they so much cheaper to purchase than others? The Subaru EV is twice as much. What makes them worth the extra cost?

The Subaru Solterra and its twin, the Toyota BZ4X, aren’t well priced for their range and charging abilities in the US.

Chevy sold Bolts pretty cheap before they were discontinued—under $30k plus the $7,500 tax credit. Some of that pricing came after the big battery recall that hurt sales. It’s not hard to imagine that GM was losing money or at least not making much. They’re reworking the Bolt to use cheaper, better batteries to bring it back in the future.

If long range and fast charging aren’t top priorities, a used Bolt or Bolt EUV could be a great value.

@jabali
Or even consider a Leaf, Niro, or Kona.

emma said:
@jabali
Or even consider a Leaf, Niro, or Kona.

Don’t buy a Leaf or any CHAdeMO car unless you plan to only charge at home.

abidemi said:

emma said:
@jabali
Or even consider a Leaf, Niro, or Kona.

Don’t buy a Leaf or any CHAdeMO car unless you plan to only charge at home.

Also, don’t buy the Leaf because it has no active battery management, which means the battery will degrade a lot faster.

@jessicah
Agreed. Leasing one might make sense if you can get it for under $100/month and will charge it at home exclusively.

Christopher said:
@jessicah
Agreed. Leasing one might make sense if you can get it for under $100/month and will charge it at home exclusively.

I’ve had a Leaf, Bolt, Ioniq, and rented a Tesla, and I recommend the Ioniq for its fast charging, spacious interior, long range, and a 10-year warranty.

@Thomas
True, but the older Leafs are popular for parents buying a first car for teenagers since they’re super cheap and easy to run.

“It’s kinda ugly but honestly, I loved everything else about it” describes 90% of EVs. They’ll only get better!

Connie said:
“It’s kinda ugly but honestly, I loved everything else about it” describes 90% of EVs. They’ll only get better!

Most EVs are fairly attractive, except maybe the budget options. It depends if you’re into the macho truck look that’s popular now.

The Bolt’s slower charging speed and lack of AWD probably make it cheaper.

I’m a former Subaru Forester and RAV4 EV driver. I wanted ground clearance and dirt road capability, so I planned to buy a Solterra but ended up with a Hyundai Ioniq 5 instead. It was cheaper to lease and far ahead in charging speed and driver controls.

A big reason the Bolt is cheaper is that it charges slowly on DC rapid chargers (Level 3 chargers in the US), making it a poor choice for long trips. But if you don’t need fast charging, it’s a great deal.

@Peggy
I charge my Bolt from 20-80% in about 50 minutes and supplement it with home charging.

GM likely priced the Bolt attractively to get people into their brand, but it’s now discontinued, which disappointed many. My brother has a 2023 Bolt and loves it. If you have a place to charge at home, the Bolt is a great choice.

@Howard
We do, and I work from home, so it seems like a no-brainer to me.

I recently switched from a 2015 Forester to a 2022 Bolt and LOVE it. Do it! You won’t regret it.

Gabriel said:
I recently switched from a 2015 Forester to a 2022 Bolt and LOVE it. Do it! You won’t regret it.

My Forester is also a 2015, and it’s been great—except for the stock audio system, which I’d love to destroy with a baseball bat!

The Bolt is more of a commuter car than a long-range road trip vehicle. But you can definitely make it work for road trips if you’re okay with taking longer breaks to charge.

I have a Solterra, and the charging speed hasn’t been an issue for us on road trips. We stop every 150 miles, and by the time we’re done with a bathroom break and snacks, we’re ready to go. I just took a trip from Nashville to Atlanta and back in a day without any problems.