Nissan leaf vs chevy volt range full#
Nissan leaf vs chevy volt range plus#

Volt Vs Leaf First New Technology Electric Cars Face Off Soon But the Bolt is a smidge better.Wintonsworld Auto Industry Analysis & Car Reviews Home Navigation

Nissan leaf vs chevy volt range plus#

Post-Bolt, GM intends to launch 22 electric vehicles by 2023.įrom a consumer point of view, you can't go wrong with either a Leaf Plus or a upgraded, 2020 Bolt. In that sense, while the Leaf was an important all-electric vehicle, simply by virtue of being an early-comer to the party, the Bolt was the perhaps most important vehicle GM has ever produced, defining the century-old automaker's new destiny: EVs, EVs, and more EVs.

Nissan leaf vs chevy volt range full#

But Bolt also has a notably better infotainment set-up, superior connectivity, and it's tough to argue that the Bolt didn't beat the Tesla Model 3 to market - because it did, in 2016, by a full year (the Model 3 arrived in 2017 and didn't ramp up deliveries until 2018). So the Bolt loses points for advertising its econo-hatch origins. But that's also because the Bolt isn't a robustly bolted together. In some respects, the Bolt reminds me of the old Honda Fit EV, in that it feels spry compared to the Leaf's hunkered-down-ness. The Leaf is, and always had been, a more solidly-built vehicle. (However, only the Leaf remains eligible for a full $7,500 federal tax credit the Bolt's fully phased out this year. 66-kWh, regen braking and single-pedal-driving vs. somewhat homely hatchback form.īoth the Leaf SL Plus and the Bolt EV Premier I tested were priced at $44,000, so I was able to do a straight-up, apples-to-apples comparo: hatch vs. But the Bolt, in upgraded form, jumped from 240 miles of range to 260, putting even more distance between its somewhat homely hatchback form and the Leaf's. With 214 miles of range, the Leaf Plus is a notable improvement over previous versions. It lacked the ambition that the Bolt expressed when it burst onto the scene in 2015. For much of its existence, the Leaf has been a shorter-range, less-exciting Tesla alternative. But we are talking about a car that's been around since before Tesla launched its Model S sedan.

The Nissan Leaf Plus is a fine EV, make no mistake. The Chevy Bolt wins this comparison contest for three reasons: range, technology, and the less tangible aspect of taking the competition to Tesla. My test car also included a suite of driver-assist and semi-self-driving features (Nissan's ProPilot, for example, which can handle steering assist), so the Leaf has become a rather complete package that, for $44,000 as tested, was genuinely packed with content. Against the Bolt, the old, shorter-range Leaf seemed to lack snap.īut the larger battery and more peppy motors have made the Leaf Plus feel downright sporty. My beef with the Leaf, compared to other EVs is that it feels solid yet sluggish. That's darn quick, for a car that outwardly resembles something you'd find parked on the streets of Paris and used mainly for baguette runs. The 6.5-second 0-60 mph should also flip your switch.

But if you have the means and are serious about making the transition from fossil fuels to EEE-lec-tricity for propulsion, the Leaf Plus's 226-miles range could flip your switch. Electric cars aren't cheap, although you can pick up a used Leaf from the previous generation for around $10,000.