I rented a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV for the summer. It won’t wow anyone, but it is reliable — with one downside.

Before I flew to San Francisco to start a summer internship, I sold my 2019 Tesla Model 3, expecting to buy something in The Bay. I considered a used Mach-E, Polestar 2, or another Model 3. I must’ve hit a used auto market dry spell, as few good deals were available.

My three intern roommates and I resorted to plan B: splitting a Hertz rental for the summer.

We opted for the least expensive option: the “mystery EV.” While I hoped to end up in the sleek Polestar 2, we got the bottom-of-the-barrel option: the Chevrolet Bolt EV.

The Chevrolet Bolt EV is better than you think

While our rental house had a garage and a 120V socket, the Hertz Bolt didn’t have a charging cable (these cost anywhere from $100 to $250 on Amazon). My friend in the area lent me a charging cable, so we were back in business.

When charging on 120V (also known as Level 1), it draws 1.3 kilowatts or adds around four miles of range per hour. It’s not a lot, but it worked as my commute to work was just four miles round trip and six if I went to the gym.

My workplace offered free access to Level 1 chargers, so the Bolt EV could charge up to 18 hours daily. Eighteen hours of charging equates to 72 miles of range added per day.

There were also 6.6 kilowatt Level 2 chargers at work, though they cost $0.25 per kilowatt-hour of energy ($1.65 an hour). Using the Bolt’s full battery, you’d pay $16.50 to go 259 miles. In a 32-mpg Chevrolet Cruze, you’d spend around $40 to go the same distance.

Sometimes, you need to charge your car faster when driving long distances. That’s where DC fast charging comes into play but where the Bolt EV begins to lag. It’s one of the slowest DC charging cars on the market.

The Little Bolt that could

After putting 1,500 miles on the odometer, we enjoyed our time with the little hatchback. Are there better options out there? Of course, but with prices well below $20,000, the Bolt is a tough value proposition to beat.

If I were buying one, the upgrade to the Bolt EUV would be worth it. It has more rear passenger space, feels more substantial, and looks more rugged.

When I got home, I still wanted something that charged a little faster and had a more engaging driving experience. With the federal EV incentive, I bought a newer Model 3 for a little over $20,000.

The Bolt EV and Model 3 are incredible used values, though avid road trippers or performance enthusiasts might want to look beyond the little Chevrolet.