Everyone’s EV

EVA members spread the word about Chevy Bolts

Raejean Fellows, a former president of the Electric Vehicle Association, has been determined to show that electric vehicles (EVs) are affordable for a large swath of the American public. To spread that message, she chose to purchase a new Chevrolet Bolt.  

“My intention is to take it out and show it,” Fellows said of her new Bolt. “I want to demonstrate to real people—real working people who struggle from week to week—that ‘EV’ does not equal ‘Tesla.’” 

Fellows set out to purchase the new car in December, when, like now, EVs were difficult to come by. “I assumed I was facing mandatory market adjustments,” she said, explaining that she had recently paid $4000 in “mandatory add-ons” in the form of a required premium security system when she purchased a new KIA EV6.

GM to the rescue

“I attended the LA Auto Show and found that the best EV-buying tips came from Chevrolet,” Fellows recalled. “The GM reps advised buyers to reject any mandatory fees or market adjustments. ‘Go online, build the car you want, print the price out, and present it to the dealer’ is what they told me.” 

“It has to be done this way because the mandatory fees just don’t work,” Fellows continued. “We can’t allow the dealers to pull this on buyers. The Bolt needs to be priced at $28,000 so the $7500 tax credit will bring it down to around $21,000, where it’s comparable to the Toyota Corolla.”

“Buyers should be wary of these dealers,” she added. “They have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. People don’t buy cars all the time, so they’re not always hip to this kind of thing.”

”I was lucky to have a great dealership here in Arizona,” Fellows said about Van Chevrolet in Scottsdale. “It was one of my best experiences with a dealership ever. They agreed on the price over the phone and then I went in and picked it up. It’s a great car—it’s a nice size, techy, and good looking.”

Brian Tang and the Tang family Bolt EUV

Just due west… 

In San Diego’s North County, Brian Tang’s family has also been intent on spreading the drive electric message by acquiring and displaying EVs. In January, the Tangs purchased both a Bolt EV and EUV, largely for this purpose.   

“We plan to display our Bolts at events,” said Brian. “We want to show it can be done without spending $50,000 or even more on a car.” 

Indeed, the Tangs have been an EV family since 2018 with the purchase of a Tesla Model S. 

Since then, they have owned 2 VWs (e-Golf and ID.4) 2 Hyundai’s (Ioniq 5 and Kona Electric), a Polestar 2, and a Tesla 3.

“We enjoy having the latest EVs around in order to try out new technology and to share them with others,” Brian said, adding that the family generally keeps each car for 18 months before trading it for a newer model. 

Do your homework 

Like Fellows, Tang recommended that potential Bolt buyers visit Chevrolet.com to research colors as well as other options and packages.

“You have to know exactly what you want,” Tang stressed. “At this point, the most critical factor in buying a Bolt is the ability to move quickly. You must be ready to make a split-second decision. If you decide an hour later, the car you’ve found could be sold by then.”

Tang recommended the use of online resources, including comments made by Bolt drivers, as well as lists of dealers that sell at the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) without mandatory add-ons. And, for those buyers willing to consider an add on, it is important to know which add-ons are acceptable to them.

Another recommendation involves buyers making sure that dealers know they’re willing to take a car that was reserved by another buyer but where the deal fell through.

“It’s best to be proactive in contacting the dealers,” Tang said, suggesting that buyers limit the vehicle search to dealerships that take refundable deposits and offer waiting lists. “It’s a lot about playing phone tag until you can find a car that meets your criteria.” 

A line at the door

The Tangs were hoping to purchase a Bolt EUV when they set out for Rotolo Chevrolet in Fontana, California on January 1. But when they arrived at 9 AM, the model was already sold out. 

Instead, the family purchased a Bolt EV, and then, a week later, returned to Fontana to buy an EUV. “The second time, we drove up there and signed a purchase order for a car that was still in transit,” Tang said. 

“We went with the Bolts this year because we believe they’re great cars and also because they qualify for the federal tax credit,” Tang explained. “We believe that GM’s current eligibility for the credit is what really makes the Bolt a standout choice in the economy EV segment.”