As if on cue, at a time when gas prices have spiked Murray Chev has brought in their first Chevy Bolt EV.
Having debuted in Canada in 2017 and initially primarily offered in Ontario and British Columbia, the Bolt is Chevroletâs entry in the all-electric car class.
When considering:
- its range is rated at 383km
- its energy consumption is rated at 17.6 kWh per 100 kilometres
- Manitoba Hydro currently charges 8.527 cents per kWh
- Gas prices in Brandon as of the time of this posting are in the neighbourhood of $1.26/litre (as recently as March 12 the pump price had been just under $1)
The Bolt and other cars in its class such as the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric and Tesla Model 3 really have potential to change the conversation on transportation and fuel costs.
Of course the classic conundrum for the buyer of an electric or hybrid vehicle is comparing gas savings versus the increased cost of buying a vehicle that uses the more energy-efficient technology. The tech under the hood of the Bolt most definitely comes at a premium with the window sticker on the Premier trim level vehicle in the picture reading $52,550 including destination/freight.
To help with the cost of EVs, the recently tabled Canadian budget introduces a purchase incentive of up to $5000 for those buying an electric or hydrogen fueled vehicle priced at up to $45,000. When that program is in place that incentive wouldnât seem to apply to this particular car configuration at its MSRP but it does look like the base configuration for the Bolt can start at $44,800. For comparison the Nissan Leaf shows a starting MSRP of $40,698, the Hyundai Kona EV $45,599 and Tesla Model 3 a starting MSRP of $47,600.
Murrays will have the pictured vehicle on display as part of their setup at this weekendâs Brandon Home & Leisure Show.