Bolt vs Leaf: These Are the Cheapest New Electric Cars You Can Buy, but Which One Is Best?

[@stevenesheim9413]

I have owned both a 2015 Nissan Leaf and now a 2022 Chevy Bolt LT2. Both are great cars. Our leaf was the first generation with only a 24 kwh battery. It was a local car only, but it was reliable, fun to drive and a great car. When we traded it off for the Bolt it was almost 8 years old and the battery was at 80% state of health. We had planned on driving it for several more years but the trade in value was so high it made sense to do it sooner vs later. Now obviously we decided to go with the Bolt over a new leaf. Why? Range, CCS charging, active battery management, and even though the Bolt is smaller it feels bigger inside. I really like our new Bolt and would recommend it if you need an affordable commuter car. I have taken it in a 500 mile round trip. The slower CCS charging speed added to the time it took but for the few times a year I will be making that trip it is acceptable to me.

[@dewdew34]

Wondering how long to a full charge CCS ? I drive 930 miles one way a couple times a year. Just wondering if it makes sense. I'm considering a new Prius but am open to EV's.

[@irfanhusein1445]

@@dewdew34 I own 2 EV’s and have done multiple road trips. The Bolt has a 65 kWh battery. On road trips you would want to keep a safety margin so you would pull into a charging station when battery is at around 20%. You will only want to charge to 80% as charging speed slows down significantly passed that. So essentially you are charging the Bolt from a 20% state of charge to 80% state of charge, thereby adding about 39 kWh. This charge will take about 50 minutes and enable you to drive about 135 miles before needing to charge again. EV’s like the Tesla model 3 or even the Ford mach E are at least twice as fast to charge.

[@chrisss73841]

@@dewdew34 If its 100 miles in 30 minutes (I'm assuming that's roughly 20%-50%) than from 5%-100% it must be north of 2 hours, maybe closer to 3 because the top 20% is slower than 50kW. For your case it'd be worth the extra $10k to get a Model 3 or Equinox EV when that comes out with faster charging. Tesla can do a full charge in the time it takes you to use the bathroom and eat lunch. With the charging speed up and cost of EV's coming down, the Prius doesn't make too much sense to me unless you drive through areas with sparse or overcrowded charging networks.

[@Malc664]

@Joel Mora That makes sense if doing long distance travel to have the hybrid. The cost wouldn't be much more. Daily in the city etc the EV though. Or even a PHEV.

[@Geckogold]

@@dewdew34 If you can afford a Tesla, they're the best overall EV to road trip in thanks to the Supercharger network. Otherwise the new Prius seems to have some nice stats on it too, so probably wouldn't be a bad buy either.

[@jmer3536]

6:22 as an automotive journalist you should already know why the lights are in the bumper and that it is a rapidly growing trend as most vehicles need to satisfy US and European standards when the rear hatch is opened

[@isaacwalker5290]

I own a leaf and I love it. In a vacuum it’s a brilliant car. Doesn’t really hold up to the bolt though I agree.

[@ilikecookies010101]

I have a 2021 leaf SL Plus. I didn't even consider a Bolt when I was searching in 2021 due to lack of adaptive cruise control. That was paramount for my purchase decision as I sit in a lot of traffic to and from work. Range varies a lot between summer and winter months but the battery has never overheated, even on a 117 degree day in the PNW.

[@KentonBenfield]

Similar experience in my 2020 Leaf S Plus. The PNW could not put it at a disadvantage, even on that notoriously hot day!

[@Hogtown1986]

I’m in Florida with a 40 kWh Leaf and the battery has never overheated. The lack of thermal management is ONLY relevant to DC fast charging. It’s just not the issue people who know nothing about them think it is for day to day use.

[@Mr_Smackle]

the bolt euv has auto-pilot lol

[@speedbird7976]

I’m in Las Vegas would the leaf struggle there?

[@andrewhillman9632]

Happy you mention road trips. The Leaf has an air cooled battery so one DC charging session gets it very hot, slowing charging speeds to almost level 2. The Bolt battery is water cooled, makes it possible to fast charge at consistent speeds, you can road trip in a Bolt.

[@bmw803]

Road tripping in a BOLT is achieved the best by charger hopping from 10% to 60%. After 60% is starts slowing down to snail pace

[@kwhopper1100]

Rented an bolt euv if you run low 60s with speed run during hours of lighter traffic and weather that allows you to turn the ac off I average 4.8 miles per kilowatt so a 300 mile range . In reality we had the car rented for free for the weekend provided but my work so we chose to put miles on it instead of our Corolla it was a pain ran into issues finding open chargers that were not broken and had to spend two hours charging on a trip to a city 100 miles away . It might have been better if either of the places we needed to go to had charging in their parking lots but they didn’t . So I’m not in a hurry to trade in my Corolla any time soon . The ev’s don’t work to well for a family they likes to take spontaneous 500 mile weekend road trips on a regular basis .

[@stephenzerfas5307]

I have owned a Volt, Bolt and ID4. I personally like where the Bokt has the charge port. Front is more convenient but feels like the areas of the car that takes more snow and ice. My other concern is even a minor fender bender is going to damage an expensive to repair charge port.

[@bmw803]

If you get wacked on the rear side or front, it's gonna be the same heavy damage to repair.

[@vtsean5840]

Thanks for pointing out the seat difference, Tommy. The Bolt has a lot to offer and I test drove the EUV version recently. It drove well but my shoulders were in pain after 20 mins. The Leaf seat, on the other hand, is one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced.

[@raven4k998]

I say the bolt has a lot more to offer for the price then the leaf since it does not have battery over heating issues so in the long run it's battery will hold up a lot longer from fast charging over the leaf's battery or in hot climates not the mention the other perks it comes with

[@GTOGregory]

Sometimes I wonder if the smaller compact vehicles have uncomfortable seating to encourage buyers to select a larger vehicle like the Equinox or Blazer that offer more room.

[@quentin0630]

This was a really well-done video. I subscribed. I own 2022 Nissan Leaf base model. I just returned home after 1500 mile trip. I get between 5 and 5.4 miles per kWh which means ~175 miles on full charge. Chadmo was never an issue throughout the whole trip though I'd like CCS also. Ater driving. 4 days straight and DC charging non-stop, battery heat only was close to an issue when I drained down to 8% and charged all the way up to 83%--though I wish there was a battery cooling system Space in back hatch is enough to lay down my bicycle. I am 16,000 miles into this car and do not regret it one bit as a daily commute 30 miles a day. Nissan's quality is high. I considered a Chevy but then it has a history of battery problems---couldn't pull the trigger on a GM with such trust issues.

[@tmorcos21]

Tommy excellent video as usual. I just bought my 2023 chevy bolt euv and I love it. Big difference between my 2017 and 2021 bolt ev and the 2023 bolt euv. The interior is not as plastcky if you know what I mean. I also have the LT package with the redline leather package which is a great deal as it comes with ventilated and heated seats in the front. I got mine for a little under 30000 with my Uber driver and costco discount of a total of 2500 dollars. The nice thing about the battery warranty when you live in California is that it is automatically bumped to 10 years and 150000 miles. Keep up the great work. If you compare the fully equipped models of the bolt euv and the leaf, the Bolt euv will be the overwhelming winner in my opinion.

[@diamond_h0us]

Chevy has done a great job with the new bolt. They are shaping up to be a real competitor to Tesla in the EV space.

[@borktheorc]

YO, I'm a Costco member and had no idea such a program existed! Will definitely look into it further! Eyeballing a Premier Redline package as well. Thank you!

[@tmorcos21]

@Allen Meeks great. You will definitely enjoy it. Get it done by the end of February to guarantee the most out of the federal tax rebate. After February the battery production may become an issue . I didn't get the premier as this my uber driving vehicle and didn't want to pay extra for the sound card sun package as the Bose sound system isn't what it used to be. No matter what you will love your purchase. Call costco auto services for current offers and their approved dealers. You are also eligible for good discounts on accessories I saved over 500 dollars on the accessories that I got. Remember you also get free installation of a 32amp charger with your EUV purchase

[@ryzen397]

I like the way the leaf looks more than the chevy. the chevy just looks like a rental car. The chevy also purposely hides the percentage charge. It is ridiculous they don't display that in an electric car.

[@ryanalder9691]

You can easily tell percentage by looking at the bars; there are 20 of them, each indicating 5%. So 3/4 indication plus one bar would be around 80%. Otherwise, the app shows the exact percentage in the battery if you want to see it.

[@lizburgess4398]

We have a '23 Bolt EUV and love it. But, I hate that you can't turn the radio off! You can mute it or turn it down, but not off. Why?

[@ziploc2000]

Press the center of the volume knob to turn off.

[@zlatonicbuzz]

The back of the new leaf reminds me of the juke with tail lights I love it

[@jeffrosen919]

I have the 2023 Bolt EV. Loving it. Charging once a week sometimes 2 depending on my weekend driving. I’m getting almost 500 Kms on a single charge

[@rfleming7883]

A thorough and complete review. As suggested, the Bolt is the clear winner, with the additional range and lower price combined with lots of car for the money. Chevrolet all the way!

[@allentoyokawa9068]

NO, the leaf is the clear winner

[@matthewwiemken7293]

@@allentoyokawa9068 agree

[@bmw803]

@@allentoyokawa9068 Why? Because you think so? I think otherwise, so it's Chevy.

[@ahidalgo4]

I test drove both. I thought the ride was smoother, quieter and more comfortable on the Leaf. The dealers in my area didn't want to budge on the dealer markup either. So I went with the Leaf.

[@nevco8774]

There are several facts to be taken into consideration: only Bolt EUV has decent leg room in the rear seats comparable with new LEAF; LEAF has the best luggage capacity, more practical (the calculation of luggage space in LEAF is unfair vs Bolt since companies calculate it differently); upper trims of LEAF versions come with heat pump standard thus in cold weather the range of LEAF plus is comparable with Bolt EUV which does not have the option of a heat pump; there are many more versions of pre own Nissan LEAF on sale these day becoming cheaper and cheaper. Since LEAF has air cooled battery it is advisable to be bought only in colder states, while Bolt in hot climate states. Seats are much better in Bolt EUV especially in Premier trim vs Bolt EV or cheaper trims of Bolt EUV. Bolt EUV in premier trim comes with unique feature: heated rear seats. If charged home at level 2 Bolt has a much faster internal charger 11 kW thus is advisable for longer commute vs LEAF less than 6 kW. Conclusion: in South of the USA if no need to commute with long leg kids buy Bolt EV or better EUV if one has to give ride to kids; up North buy a pre own low mileage Leaf in plus versions giving much better value per each spent dollar. LEAF is predominantly a commute car due to cold and heat gating on the public charging stations especially considering CHADEMO standard is rare while Bolt can be a quite SLOW road tripper due to limited CCS charging speed up till 50 kW. Obviously that makes Bolt a car for people who buy a car to be used for very long time - more than 15 years since it comes with a larger liquid cooled battery charged in DC current under 50 kW without vampire drain. LEAF will last at least 10 years only in colder climates. Finally Bolt still comes with home installation of level 2 EVSE from GM company if bought new. In Northern states both cars can be bought in the same household for commute of 2 people when somebody commutes a longer distance in Bolt and somebody else a shorter one in LEAF but gives the ride to school and back to kids as well.

[@raven4k998]

the question is how does chevy make the bolt cheaper then the leaf and still afford to put a/c in for the battery to keep her cooled in summer and when fast charged that is insane man

[@sprockkets]

To be fair, both vehicles will charge slow in the cold. But no one really can provide proof that GM is losing money on the Bolt in 2022/3. Also, battery degredation was due to an older battery chemistry, not a lack of cooling.

[@miked412]

I like so much about the Nissan, but the battery size and thermal regulation are what sent me to the bolt EUV. - I love the more comfortable ride and buttons galore! - The heat pump is an added bonus! However, the larger battery pack & better thermal management sold me on the bolt. - I have also come to love the one-pedal driving - I only use the hydraulic brakes on sudden stops & to make sure they don't seize up. - I did have to upgrade to heated seats/steering wheel to reduce reliance on resistive heating. - The heated seats & wheel are plenty to keep me warm! - I really only use the air heater to de-fog windshield/windows. Even so, it is a major energy drain!

[@be236]

Great and fair comparison... Agree with you on most your points, eg: Pro for LEAF: Good charge port location, front and center, comfy soft seats (miss my LEAF seats, my Kia Niro EV seats so stiff/hard on my back), good looking design, battery % display in console. Pro for Bolt EV: Faster L2 charging (almost twice the speed of LEAF), liquid-cooled battery, longer range, cheaper... so agree the best bang-for-buck and value is Chevy Bolt EV (and even Bolt EUV).

[@conrado800]

How are the Bolt seats compared to the Leaf?

[@BIMRFRK]

The funny part is, I compared these two vehicles back in 2018, yes the bolt had more range, but in my market, at that time... it was $10k more than the Leaf SV, and the Leaf was better equipped, lvl2 autonomy, heated front and rear seats, android auto compatibility (I believe the 2018 bolt could only do mirroring). Nice to see Chevrolet stepping up, making it more affordable and a better value... The thing that really set me off with the Bolt though was the hatch storage with the seats up... I use this configuration much more often as I usually have rear seat passengers or a dog, and that was much more functional, so I went with the Leaf instead for my use case, didn't need the range and rarely do fast charging so it being not thermally managed and CHADEMO was a mute point... I do have to say though, after 4 years and 135k km's on the odometer, and other than normal wear and tear, the only thing I've had to replace until recently was a 12v battery. That was until the pressure sensor switch for the AC went, here's where things got ugly with me and Nissan. There was no EV service techs in the area, had to drive to cross the border and get service in Michigan, they spent three whole days diagnosing it, then told me it was a $1600 USD to repair the problem and needed the cash upfront since I was a Canadian customer. I got a second opinion with a dealership in Canada, slightly futher away, they took 2 days diagnosing the same issue (which I already knowledge shared what I believe was the issue). They charged me 2000$ CAD for the fix. Turns out, the pressure switch is welded in place and you need to replace the entire AC lines in a package to fix the broken pressure switch. Whoever engineered that was smoking something... All and all, I have to say the car paid for itself in savings, but man, the dealership service experience has been the worst I ever experienced with any car brands I had in the past... Kind of wish I got the Bolt now...

[@101spacecase]

All dealerships I've ever heard of charge way too much an do shitty work.

[@michaelwalsh3474]

All EVs are going to have things like that engineered into the by design due to the fact that there is minimal maintenance to be done with them in the first place. Add in the semi autonomous features that have been added and the fact that manufacturers are now charging subscription plans to use the features of the car you bought and you start wondering what the value proposition actually is. Your AC line problem isn't the only thing wrong. If those fancy touch screens break, the whole dashboard has to come out and a new touch screen has to be installed and then programmed to the specific vehicle. At least the Leaf wears regular passenger car tires and not bespoke EV tires, so you can save some money there. The custom Michelin tires for a Tesla model S in a 21" size cost $1300 USD per tire before tax and install costs. But, we're told these are better 🤔

[@dewdew34]

I just don't trust Nissan for long term reliability. At least a Leaf doesn't have a Nissan cvt... If i bought a Leaf i would sell it before the warranty passage. I don't trust Chevy much either. Their trucks are not what they used to be either reliability wise, SUV's too. I would like to see Toyota or Honda produce an EV car or even Ford. But under warranty i'd buy either EV if it made sense financially.

[@Hogtown1986]

I had the same shopping experience in 2018 and went with a Leaf. If you had bought a Bolt, you would have had to park it outside for the last couple of years and got a software update limiting charge to 80% so it wouldn’t spontaneously combust. And you still may not have a new battery.

[@vincenty747]

The Bolt and Bolt EUV are amazing deals if you qualify for the full tax credit, and yes I do think they're better values even after Tesla dropped their prices. A 250 mile EV for around $20-22k? Sold.

[@g600f700]

I think they are for different buyers and different market. Tesla user experience, acceleration, IMO, hands down. For value, lowest price point, Bolt hands down.

[@rwyo83]

The main problem is that these EVs are using old tech batteries. after 5 years your EV will be dead. Just buy a chinese EV, you will pay 10k less.

[@csjrogerson2377]

What are you smoking? How about a 700 mile $20K Mazda 2 TD?

[@davidandrew6357]

All new DC fast chargers being installed by EVgo, ChargePoint, Shell Recharge, Flo, etc. include CHAdeMO charge cables. Only Volkswagon groups, Electrify America and Volta don't include CHAdeMo at all their installations. That hardly constitutes CHAdeMo "slowly being phased out", quite the opposite, the number of available CHAdeMo chargers is still continuing to grow.

[@OldThomMerton]

I do prefer either the front charger or the one in front of doors, so both would work for me. For me, the garage plugs are on my right, but I have a long 12 gauge cord. The charging for road trips would be slow but that would be the only time I'd use a commercial charger.

[@kelalamusic9258]

I purchased, when new, a 2022 Leaf. At the time of purchase, there was only one Nissan Leaf available in the entire Phoenix, AZ valley. That’s the one I purchased. As far as other EVs, the Bolt included, zilch. Had there been a Bolt, I would have been able to make a comparison, and based on your review, I would probably have gone with the Bolt. But, all in all, I’m very happy with my Leaf. I charge it at home, and it has not affected my electric bill much at all. I don’t have to bother with gas prices, or having to go out to fill it up as I do all my charging at home. Where I really save is in its yearly registration. Most new cars in AZ casts around $500 a year to register. All I pay is $45, and that’s for 5 years total. All I use the Leaf for is driving around town. It’s a perfect vehicle for me. I will never go back to owning another gas powered car. But if I wish to go on a long trip, I will rent one. I’m sure that as time goes on, more and more charging stations will be available around the country, and as time goes on, technology will improve, providing much better batteries that will allow for more range and far less charging time. Not to mention better safety due to the risk of LI battery fires.

[@vincentrobinette1507]

To me, the number one thing is miles per kWh. Being that the batteries are similar size, and the Bolt has far more range than the Leaf, I would for sure, choose the Bolt. The real deal breaker for me, is that the Leaf is still using the CHAdeMO charging port, which is being phased out. For trips, I want the new CCS port, because it will be much easier to find a charge station, if I ever decide to go on a road trip. Tesla now has "Magic Stations" which have a built in adapter to allow charging for CCS cars, but they are incompatible with CHAdeMO. I've been saying for years, that the charge connectors need to be standardized, so any car can charge at any station. It' looking like the CCS is likely to become that standard, here in the USA. (SAE J-1772 enhanced connector)

[@christopherkarnik7465]

This should have ended at 2:00 with the Bolt as the winner. $8000 extra and the Leaf still doesn't come close to the Bolt's range. Game over.

[@Visualhead_Spacer]

Chademo for Leaf is a no for me.. they should convert already to CCS/J938393n or whatever non-tesla standard nowadays

[@nomadchad8243]

My friend has a Bolt, Its nice and has good range I didnt like the exterior and the suspension/tincan feeling . I bought a 2023 40KW Leaf SV and while it has terrible range I like everything else about it.

[@caseyfox3044]

Just took delivery of my 2023 Bolt EUV and I love it. I ordered it in late November 2022 (at MSRP) not knowing if the full $7500 rebate would be available because of battery material sourcing and manufacturing location rules set out by the "Inflation Reduction" Act. It turns out it DOES qualify since the IRS hasn't determined final rules (due in March 2023). So I got lucky--I ordered it when the price was at the lowest (27k and change) AND I get the rebate (on next years tax return)--making this a sub $20k vehicle. Note that you have to pay enough in Fed income taxes to get the full rebate. The drivers seat is too small (no reason for this as there is a 4in gap between the seat and the drivers door!!!), but I love everything else. The EUV is 6" longer than the the Bolt EV with 3 of those inches going to rear seat legroom. The rear seats on this car really are roomy (I'm 6'2"). This is an excellent review and I agree with everything except I would have noted 1) that the back seat of the EUV is significantly more useable than either the Bolt EV and especially the Leaf. and 2) the active battery conditioning on the Chevys is a big deal for those who want to keep the car long term and also to those who care about resale value when keeping the car for less time. A 65kWh battery dying at 100k+ will render any car junk as the cost to replace it would be astronomical. I need 150,000 miles out of this battery at a minimum.

[@hereigoagain5050]

Tommy gives the real skinny about cars on KZbin. Good for GM and Nissan for making affordable EVs. I'd go with the Bolt to support the home team.

[@allentoyokawa9068]

With korean parts.....

[@3kingkool]

Yes

[@lonelyp1]

Leafs for America are built in Tennessee If I'm not mistaken. They might use Korean parts, I wouldn't know.

[@cryptocarpenter599]

Currently got a 23 leaf sv plus as a rental and I honestly think it's pretty damn good. Rides nice and handles really good.

[@Davran2742]

Thanks for the review. I looked at both vehicles, and and ordered an Lt-trim Bolt EUV (which is scheduled to be built this week), as to me it was better in every way (though I like the Leaf's charge port location). I didn't want to be stuck with chademo connectors. Also, the lack of battery cooling/heating in the Leaf made it a non-starter for me, unfortunately. The annoying brake light problem with the new Bolts can be fixed, which many have already done.

[@menguardingtheirownwallets6791]

It is getting hard to find a public charging station for the LEAF now that the standard has been dropped.

[@tjs114]

The reason for the Bolt's brake and signal lights being at the bottom on the rear of the car is because the upper lights are on the hatch, and as such would have to be duplicated to a fixed surface in case the hatch was open. Didn't the pre-refresh Bolt do that? I imagine GM just decided to cut costs by limiting themselves to a single set of fixed lights. The taillight thing has been a DOT law for decades.

[@MrWeboFrito]

I live in Chile and here the EV market is crazy expensive, more so taking into account the income difference (average household income is about 25k anual). Here the Leaf starts at $39k usd and the Bolt at $49k usd. I got a used leaf at 22k and it was like the best deal ever (and that's why EV's here are about 0.4% of all new car sales)

[@williammodlin2621]

I hope you will put some winter tires on the Bolt and show us how it does in the snow!

[@Cakebattered]

The lack of active cooling and the CHAdeMO connector makes the Leaf "No Bueno".

[@hugowells3052]

One thing I don’t think the Leaf gets enough credit for is the fact that Chademo does V2H/V2G out of the box. It might be a niche feature, but if you want it there is only one real option. And I think it’s going to become invaluable as EVs become more mainstream

[@SneakyCaleb]

I’m new to the EV world why is that good ?

[@hugowells3052]

@@SneakyCaleb It means you can power your home during a blackout

[@tojesky]

Tommy, the Bolt SOC is show graphically (green bars) on the left side of the speedometer clust.

[@KentonBenfield]

Yes, but he wants an actual % number, and so do I; it is a very weird omission, my 2020 Leaf S Plus had it on the screen at all times. It's not like the system doesn't have that data, just some UX designer decided you don't get to have it...for some reason.

[@mikedunn7795]

The number one deal killer for the Leaf is a lack of a modern BMS,in my opinion. The most expensive part of the car (batteries) need all the TLC they can get,as they will be a big part of what you get when you trade in the car.

[@jimwallace6877]

Thanks, great video! There's a lot of useful info clearly and concisely presented.

[@stand.6008]

I only drive about 60 miles per week, since I am not far from my job. Also, the University I work at has free charging stations, so I wouldn't have to spend any money towards charging the Bolt. The Bolt makes sense if you're mostly driving locally. If you drive an hour or 2 a day, then get a fast charging EV.

[@ramonmarielacamacho1173]

I'm a satisfied Bolt owner. It does show range permanently on the display behind the steering wheel and paddle regent added to the one pedal drive is great.

[@jacobreed47]

My first 2014 Gen Chevy Volt has a charge level notification in the near the speedometer area. The second Gen Volt does not display the current charge level at all. First Gen Volt is a much better car disregarding the controversial center stack haptic touch buttons, i am used to the so it’s ok but newer drivers don’t care for that button layout and I understand why. First Gen Chevy Volt wins!!

[@mikecoffeen7991]

I had a Leaf for 3 years and sold it for an EV6. I really wish Nissan had upgraded the Leaf to ccs and battery conditioning.

[@nlpnt]

I realize auto designers don't want to live in a world of all vertical taillights all the time now that we've crossovered all the things, but vertical taillights fixed alongside the hatch make so much more sense on a car like the Bolt. At least on the prefacelift ones the low turn signals were amber, they made them smaller and changed them to red in the refresh aaaargh.

[@ThorMaxx]

Thank you for mentioning the brake play situation on the GM. I understand that they do this because legislation states he cannot have brake lights on a moving body panel or component, however, being so low on that bumper breaks and turn signals are not as easily seen for sure. If it was just turn signals, I would not have as much of a problem with it however, having both has a combo unit down there is a bad idea in my opinion.

[@someone12345]

the bolt is the clear winner in my opinion, it's better in every meaningful way while still managing to be cheaper

[@allentoyokawa9068]

Your opinion is invalid, because the Leaf is by far the clear winner here.

[@PrincessTS01]

one problem with the leaf front charger location is in a front end collision it will be destroyed and harder to repair/replace the parts = most costly

[@28ronj]

Great, informative review on two comparable EVs. Thank you.

[@Jukka-PekkaTuominen]

I have owned a Nissan Leaf for almost a half a year now. I have found out that while there are less CHAdeMO-ports available it also goes other way around. When I go to a station the CHAdeMO is usually always free as there are less cars that use that port. So in a way there are usually less places that I can charge the car in, but in those places where I go I also end up waiting less time for a charger to be free. That is in Finland so this doesn't really mean anything for North American drivers.

[@aZnCdn]

Thanks for this video ended up getting the 2024 Nissan leaf the exact blue one too!

[@robbmorris7790]

Great comparative breakdown! Super informative. Thanks!

[@SmokeyMesa]

Chademo is a deal breaker for me. I commonly go to charging locations and find at least one unit down, and normally all the units support CCS but only one supports chademo. If that one unit is down and you have a leaf you're stranded. I assume the leaf model must be ending or surely they'd put in CCS charging. The leaf is still OK if you just use it locally especially if you charge at home, but I'd never want to take one on a road trip.

[@Wised1000]

Just wrote the same thing!

[@allentoyokawa9068]

Nothing wrong with chademo you fool

[@SmokeyMesa]

@@allentoyokawa9068 betamax, and HD DVD are pretty awesome as well.

[@Wised1000]

@@allentoyokawa9068 Other than its an obsolete plug that is disappearing all over the country. Other than that nothing is wrong. That is why Nissan's own Ariya abandoned the standard. Chademo is dead.

[@ColeSpolaric]

The leaf is better looking on the outside than the bolt by a mile!

[@souliog]

I disagree 😊

[@caseylee3350]

It looks like the aveo

[@Tenticles]

I completely disagree the bolt is the prettiest looking budget ev ive seen yet

[@gregcat100]

Really informative! Thanks.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

With EVs, you have to account for two things when it comes to range. 1. During normal, day to day charging, you're advised to only charge to 80% of a car's range, in order to preserve the battery as much as possible. If the battery in the Leaf is air-cooled, you'll absolutely want to follow this rule as much as possible. So you're already at less than 120 miles. 2. Then in the winter, when you lose range naturally, let's be honest, you'll be lucky if you get 90 miles out of it. For the average commuter that's doing 45 miles a day, this is more than fine. But I'd much rather go with the 259 miles of range in the Bolt. With its liquid cooled system, the battery will last much longer and you'll get 180 miles out of it, even in cold weather and charging to 80%, which is more than doable. Both cars, however, should work on their charging speeds. 50KW charging makes it such that you really have to plan things out if you're road tripping.

[@Hogtown1986]

I have a 40 kWh Leaf. Nissan never says not to charge it to 100%. They only reference not leaving it at that SOC for long periods. The fact that it’s air cooled has nothing to do with charging to 80% for longevity. As with any battery, frequent DC fast charging will likely shorten battery life somewhat compared to Level 2 charging. I don’t live in a cold climate, but people that do say the Leaf essentially shrugs off cold. In fact, it would be a good EV for the coldest states. See a recent Out of Spec review where Kyle cold-soaked a Leaf in below zero weather for days, it started right up and even accepted a CHAdeMO charge immediately. Even his Tesla wouldn’t charge until it warmed up.

[@SmokeyBear363]

You’re wrong 😂

[@davetravels9273]

You forgot Nissan's Achilles heal, it doesn't have a liquid cooling system for the battery, so it struggles to keep it warm in cold temperatures and cool when it gets warm. As a result, the battery degrades much quicker.

[@sajiantony7473]

Leaf has a battery heater (could be a heatpump based) for winter.

[@sn0wflake]

As a Bolt owner, I just feel like the shorter range, battery cooling, and CHAdeMO of the Leaf would all be deal breakers for me. But, I have to say that the Leaf’s seats and ride quality sound appealing. Interesting to see the pros and cons!

[@LouisDuran]

57 cu ft. vs 30 cu ft of storage space is massive for the Chevy Bolt. However, it is completely unbelievable. C'mon man! Use your head. Your facts are wrong.

[@urntwrthyZ]

You weren't clear about the Leaf's battery thermal management system when you stated it was "air cooled." The current Prius, for example, draws in cabin air and a fan blows it over the battery blades. While not ideal (the 2005-2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, for example, had a separate AC evaporator to cool its battery), the theory is that humans prefer to keep their environment at a temperature that is conducive to good battery performance and life. In sharp contrast, the Leaf relies on OUTSIDE air blowing over the exterior of the battery case to cool it. If you are in a moderate climate, that's OK. If you are in a hot climate such as Florida you are using 90+ degree ambient air to cool the pack and that will not work well. As you noted, charging will be affected and the battery pack's life will be adversely impacted. While they both have 8 year battery warranties as required by law, in practice the Bolt's battery should last considerably longer than the Leaf's.

[@DuesenbergJ]

Been driving a Nissan Leaf for years. It’s a great car. We can’t get Chevrolets in Europe but there is now way I would get a with Chademo charging now.

[@Hobbies4Hire]

Great job on the video Tommy! Thanks for making it.

[@caerphoto]

Those Bolt seats-down cargo numbers seem kinda sus - there's no way it has almost twice the space of the leaf. It looks *smaller*, not bigger.

[@ragweedmakesmesneeze]

These car journos who rely on only manufacturer supplied Cu. Ft. measurements for cargo capacity are doing us viewers a pretty big disservice. Obviously different measuring standards are in play here and I wish TFL and others would either bring out a tape measure, some standard size suitcases and give us real world comparisons instead of the "fuzzy math" of manufacturer data.

[@tango165]

Great review, to me the Bolt seems like a good commuter/around town car all day long.

[@W4rH4wkXX]

the leaf not having a thermally managed battery was the deal breaker for me, so BOLT for me! ⚡⚡🔋🔋

[@mikefarrington7141]

I was so surprised when the refresh didn't add in liquid cooling. I had narrowed my then-upcoming purchase to either the Bolt or gen2 LEAF -- and was just waiting on word on battery cooling of the LEAF to drop. The second I heard it was still air-cooled, my decision was clear and Chevy got my money.

[@BlueBonnetAudio]

That and CHAdeMO. Thanks to the TFLEV folks for explaining this. No other videos on the leaf talk about it as far as I can find. Further complicates the already shakey non Telsa charging options. The Leaf is out for me.

[@richardgray8593]

And generally, Nissan quality control is even worse than GM's.

[@Daniyoyo]

@@mikefarrington7141this is why the Nissan leaf drops 30% in depreciation in the first year -

[@nicholaslayton6199]

Thermally unmanaged only on the dc charger side

[@X.MillennialResponder.X]

Leaf is better if you have a solar system as it has the ability to bidirectional charge … I have not seen that come out for the Chevy

[@jacobcarlson4010]

@Tommy, I hate to say it; but you goofed up hard. When comparing the cargo capacity of the Bolt you gave it the advantage by mentioning the extra space by folding the seats down, but conveniently didn’t go over the fact that the LEAF seats also fold down for more space. I hope it was an honest oversight, because otherwise it was a relatively good video.

[@LouisDuran]

My local Nissan dealership had two of the SV Plus Leafs on their lot. They added a $10K markup. So a LEAF would cost $48K! 48K!!! Think about that.

[@allentoyokawa9068]

Worth every penny

[@KomarBrolan]

@@allentoyokawa9068 Get a Tesla Model 3 for that money.

[@ahidalgo4]

I thought I overpaid for my 23 SV plus. Paid $43k out the door. Great local car. I haven’t driven it farther than 50 miles from home. I plan to drive it farther, possibly 100 miles. Will charge it to 100% for the trip.

[@taylorauger1509]

I paid $21k for my s plus in 2021 🤯 including tax credit

[@ahidalgo4]

@@taylorauger1509 That’s a great buy for a Leaf with 62kw. We could have settled for the cheaper SV 40 kw but the pro pilot adaptive cruise is a must have for us.

[@user-ff8ju1ee9b]

Great informative video.

[@CptRameus]

Those storage numbers don't make sense. Are you sure you don't have to add the two values given for the Nissan? Starts with 26 and only adds 4 cubic feet with the second row folded? I think it may be 30 behind 2nd row and additional 26 with 2nd row folded. 56 total

[@KomarBrolan]

Yes, that 50 vs 30 total makes no sense at all. The cars are very close in size. Something is wrong.

[@NadiMich]

Great comparasion review!

[@thomwolf123]

Very complete presentation, I too like the Chevy Bolt

[@spazzman90]

As a fellow owner of both cars, the Leaf has a couple of major software annoyances. First, you can't set charge percentage or a departure time. So it's always gonna want to charge to 100%. Which brings me to my second major annoyance. Regen is limited from 100% down to sometimes as low as 75%. I live on a hill and it bugs the crap out of me to always have to be using friction brakes and wasting that energy. It's why the Leaf has such a lower EPA range compared to the Bolt with a similar sized battery.

[@glennmartin6492]

The deciding factor for my wife and I will be the hip room in the drivers seat. My wife has a burst vertebral disk and in order for driving to be tolerable for her there can't be a between the seats console and even the seatbelt buckle bars need to be a certain length

[@fr373969]

$5k markup on bolt euv just kills it

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Those new Leaf wheels are horrid. What were they thinking? He did a great job covering the cars. Good review.

[@borktheorc]

aww man, I really like them. They're the perfect retro-future style that I dig.

[@TheYoungFactor]

Great review! Thanks

[@EliasRodriguez123]

Great video

[@aaronbritt2025]

I'd get the Leaf, but I may be biased as a previous 2015 owner. The interior is just so much nicer. You guys usually make a big deal about touch points, but didn't mention how much nicer the Leaf's steering wheel is over the Bolt's.

[@hyperuTech]

So, the Leaf is good for old people with garages, and the Bolt is good for everyone else. 😏

[@bryanwalker1579]

I am 63 years old and I like my Bolt. Team Bolt all the way.

[@richh650]

Great review Tommy. The Leaf would be a great EV choice if we were in 2015.

[@allentoyokawa9068]

NO, it is a great choice NOW you troll

[@richh650]

@@allentoyokawa9068 the Leaf has no battery temperature management (just air cooled) and a tiny battery in the under $30k model. Due to its terrible battery management degradation, the Leaf depreciates faster than just about any other vehicle. Before you call someone a troll you should become more informed.

[@frankcoffey]

I can't believe the Leaf is still being made. It just seems so far out of date and Nissan has not updated it to modern specs. They don't even have it up to 2014 specs yet.

[@pasalking7760]

The 2023 Nissan Leaf is proof Niassan's lack of care regarding EVs. They could've refreshed this with better charging speed and battery drive.

[@americanrambler4972]

In this review, the Bolt just stomps the Leaf flat! Although I am partial to the Leaf, the bolt kills it where it really counts. For less money, you get almost twice the range, get CCS charging, better cargo space utilization, and a better looking front end and a better dashboard. The leaf has a better looking back end. It has more comfortable seats and is quieter. Big pluses for me. Plus the single peddle drive is a great feature. The Bolt wins here on price, dash board, exterior looks, charging and battery. Those Leaf hubcaps gotta go! Those are a definite no go for me. I have been reading that the Leaf is on its way out, we are seeing the last generation here. If that’s true, then that’s too bad. Nissan needs a true low cost competitive car in this market. The new Nissan Aria is a much more expensive vehicle. And I think Nissan is getting concerned it might be a market miss.

[@Malc664]

Thanks Tommy and Kase. I'd definitely have to go Chevy Bolt for the liquid cooled battery.

[@jessekuchinski1172]

I didn't think I'd enjoy this comparison because it's two cheap electric cars lol but Tommy did a really awesome job. Would love to see more new car comparison vids with Tommy

[@wildbill23c]

I'd go with the Chevy Bolt. The bit of additional range could mean getting home and having to detour to a charging station. Although I wouldn't take an EV very far, it would work great since I'm only about 4 miles from work, bad weather its nice and safer to drive, if the town I live in had dedicated bicycle lanes away from traffic it would be different, but this town is stuck in the 19th century and people park on the streets so you don't have any room for bikes. I have an E-Bike that I ride occasionally, and enjoy it much more than having to drive, so an affordable EV at some point is definitely something I'm interested in, although the size of those cars even $27k is about $10k too much.

[@JT_771]

Bolt, no question about it. That Leaf should only be considered if it is DRASTICALLY lower in price than the Bolt. Or I guess if you like Nissan and are only leasing.

[@RB-ib6un]

Will the charge port get damaged from taking the car to get washed?

[@lonelyp1]

I have had Leafs and drive a 2019 Leaf now. I haven't even test driven a Bolt. I always thought about it when trading Leafs but Nissan came through with a new Leaf, so I didn't. I have been seeing a lot on YT about battery fires, but never heard of Nissan or Chevy batteries in particular burning.

[@gregkramer5588]

Nice job Tommy!

[@daviidfm923]

Imo the leaf is just not a good option anymore for the simple fact it doesn’t offer a ccs plug

[@davidmccarthy6061]

Yes, even if purchased for "around town" you are still limited if you need to actually travel some distance.

[@daviidfm923]

@@davidmccarthy6061 even worse when they completely kill the connector. Since Nissan is the only one that uses it still

[@jamesbrown3358]

Well done!!

[@TheSlayer0820]

You don’t show us under the hood. How does it look like? Any difference between two? I’m planning to buy Bolt EUV in a month and this video makes me more confident.

[@WestCoastChicano]

Excellent video as usual. Can't wait for my Chevy Bolt to arrive. 🚙 🇺🇸

[@allenlicn]

Buying a new BOLT can also get credit to install charger or charging credit here. Not sure if that is nation wide

[@bantom360]

This is a phenomenal comparison

[@Modelsworld4220]

Is the leaf good for tall drivers I am 6*3 I test drove the bolt EUV but not the least yet my local dealer did not have any in there lot they are in transit not available until mid April

[@spcneary]

The leaf doesn't have battery cooling, not an option for me in FL. All the leafs down here have half degradation or more by 30-40k miles, completely unacceptable at any price IMO. Especially considering the expense and difficulty of a new replacement battery.

[@nevco8774]

Only if somebody gives you a LEAF as a gift then consider using it. Otherwise in Florida only Bolt is the way to go.

[@-Jethro-]

Eventually all of the used ones end up here in the Pacific NW where the battery lives a much happier life. I love my 2013 (bought in 2017], but wouldn’t buy a brand new one.

[@michaelmawhinney5218]

I own a 2019 leaf and live in south Florida, I’m at 48k and battery capacity has only dropped one bar, I can still get a solid 130miles range if I drive right…🤷‍♂️ I mostly charge at home with the occasional quick charge when I need to run extra errands. Never ever had a battery temp problem.

[@mikebroadbent7715]

One thing to consider about the charge ports is the way they open - with the Leaf opening upwards, it appears to create a situation where snow can accumulate there. This is on my radar because I have a Prius Prime, and that charge port regularly fills up with snow, making it difficult to close the port door. I feel the vertical door on the Bolt would be easier to deal with than the door on the Leaf.

[@conrado800]

There are covers for sale, we bought one from ecosolaris

[@mic2damgood]

how much range do you get in the freezing cold?