We Love Our Bolt

We had been on the waiting list for the Tesla 3 for years, literally years.

But we decided we were getting an EV that got at least 200 miles per charge in 2017.  Had to be in 2017 because this is one of the last years we’ll owe taxes so that $7500 credit wasn’t going to be of any use to us after 2017.

The new Nissan only gets 150 miles per charge and wasn’t available until 2018.  The Tesla, for the same options, was going to cost $10,000 more than the Bolt and again, we wouldn’t be getting it until 2018 so essentially it was going to cost us $17,500 more. If you don’t owe taxes a tax credit doesn’t have much value.

So the Bolt it was.  We love it.  The quiet ride, the quick take off, even when I’m not trying, the “free” fuel from our solar cells and the maintenance.

Oh my goodness the maintenance.  Today I took it in for it’s first maintenance.  Rotate the tires every 7500 miles.  Cost?  $25 and 30 minutes.

Next week I take the Jetta in for one of it’s 10,000 mile service routines.  Cost?  $200 and a couple of hours.

And that quiet ride?  Parker and I can actually have a conversation without my having to be turned toward his “good” ear and raising my voice.

A normal conversational tone is all it takes.

“Parker, please put on your seat belt so I don’t have to listen to that dinging.”
Parker: soft groan.

See how nice that is?  😉

Our next EV has to get 500 miles per charge, a quick charge of at least 300 miles in 45 minutes and have autonomous driving, with a steering wheel.  We live in the country on a one lane road.  I’m not counting on an autonomous driving vehicle to know when to pull over or back up or go ahead because the pull off is another 100 yards up the road so the neighbor and I can pass each other.  And animals in the road.  Don’t stop but do slow down then slowly herd that cow or a few sheep off to the side by moving slowly past them.  Ah, country life.  I don’t think city drivers get it and all the testing seems to be taking place in the cities.