We have arrived at that point where the market offers enough mainstream electric vehicles in order to get those classic comparison tests going. So here it is: the Tesla Model 3 against the Chevrolet Bolt and the Nissan Leaf.
The whole comparison seems a little bit unfair, especially since Tesla hasn’t launched the base version of the Model 3 yet, but it’s still interesting to see how the different choices each maker has made compare to each other.
Out of the three, the Model 3 is easily the fastest and the one that handles the best. It’s also the one with the longest official range, offering 310 miles on a full charge. The setback is of course the price, as the Model 3 with the Long Range battery option is easily the more expensive out of the three.
And while the Tesla offers the quickest acceleration, it’s not that the other two can be deemed as slow; the Chevy Bolt, for example, offers a 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds, while the Nissan Leaf can hit the 60mph mark in 7.8 seconds.
Then there’s the range. At 310 miles, the Model 3 offers the longest of the bunch, at least officially, with the Bolt getting a 238-mile rating and the Leaf 150 miles on a full charge.
However, Edmunds’ comparison found that the Bolt can easily travel for more miles than its official range suggests, with their best result to be a very impressive 334 miles. Similarly, the Nissan Leaf can go past its 150-mile rating when you enable its Eco mode and E-Pedal – plus there’s a new version with a range of more than 200 miles coming for the 2019MY.
Each one has its strong and weak points, but which of the current crop of electric vehicles is the smartest choice?