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2017 Chevy Bolt bests Tesla Model S 75D in Consumer Reports test

The Chevy also beats the EPA's listed range.

On paper, the Tesla Model S 75D has more range than the Chevy Bolt. The Bolt gets an EPA-estimated 238 miles of driving range on a single charge, while the Tesla is rated at 259 miles. According to testing from Consumer Reports, though, in a head-to-head comparison the Bolt outperforms the Tesla Model S 75D, even surpassing its own range rating by 12 miles.

In CR's test, the Bolt went 250 miles before running out of juice. The 2016 Tesla Model S 75D went just 235 miles, underperforming its own rating, and even the lesser rating of the Bolt. The 2016 Tesla Model X 90D, rated at 257 miles, also petered out early, at just 230 miles. CR hasn't yet tested the 100D variants of the Model S and Model X, but says those would likely drive further than the Chevrolet Bolt. Still, either of those would cost at least $100,000 (before the federal tax credit), while the Bolt starts at just $37,495.

Based on the results of its testing, Consumer Reports ranks the Chevy Bolt as the second best all-electric vehicle, behind the Model S. Besides range, the Chevy scores well for agility and quietness, but suffers because of its "squishy" brake feel, charging time, bumpy ride, and less-than-spectacular seats.

Tesla just began production of its Model 3 sedan, which starts at $35,000. Going by EPA ratings, the Long-Range version of the Model 3 sits at the top of the EV pack in terms of cost-effective driving range, as Bloomberg points out. At $44,000, and with 310 miles of range, its price-per-mile of driving range is $141.94. The Chevy Bolt comes in second, at $157.54 per mile, while the base Model 3 follows up at $160.54 per mile. After that, prices jump above the $200 mark, with the Hyundai Ioniq Electric in fourth place at $237.90 per mile.

While Consumer Reports hasn't tested the Model 3 yet, if we use its results for the Bolt, the Chevy offers a price-per-mile of $149.98. That still puts it in second place, at least until we can get some real-world range reports from the Model 3.

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