(AP)
Chevrolet’s upcoming affordable electric car looks like it will beat the Tesla Model 3 to market and over the long haul.
The automaker says the Chevy Bolt boasts an EPA-rated range of 238 miles per charge, while Tesla claims the Model 3 should go about 215 miles, although that number could be higher when the car makes it into production.
The Bolt also has a longer range than the current entry-level Tesla Model S, which can cover 210 miles per charge but costs about $28,500 more.
The Bolt goes on sale later this year for about $37,500 before a $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit. It's the first mass-market electric vehicle to cross the 200-mile range, a range that will meet or exceed almost every person's daily driving needs.
GM says the Bolt's range was determined in testing by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It takes 9.3 hours to recharge a Bolt from near empty on a 240-Volt home charger, the company said.
The Bolt also will be able to get software fixes over the internet, Pam Fletcher, GM's executive chief engineer for electric vehicles, said at a recent conference.
Tesla's lowest-cost Model S is $66,000 before the credit. Late next year, Tesla plans to start selling the more affordable Model 3. At $35,000 before the credit, it will cost less than the Bolt and is expected to go 215 miles per charge.
The Palo Alto, California, company makes cars that travel farther than the Bolt, but they come at a price. The new Model S P100D can go about 315 miles per charge, but it starts at $134,500 without the credit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report