Detroit – General Motors is giving its Chevrolet Spark a jolt of electricity.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
An all-electric version of the mini-car will debut this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It goes on sale this summer in California, Oregon, Canada and South Korea, where it’s made. Other markets will follow.
Unlike the Chevrolet Volt sedan, which can run in all-electric mode but also has a backup gas engine, the Spark EV is a pure electric. GM won’t say how far the car will go on a charge, but says it will be a top performer among the small number of EVs available. The current leader, the electric Ford Focus sedan, can go 76 miles on a charge.
The Spark EV will also be cheaper than most of its electric rivals, GM says. Exact pricing hasn’t been revealed, but the car will start for less than $25,000 in the U.S. when a $7,500 federal tax credit is factored in. The electric Nissan Leaf starts at $27,700 with the tax credit. Like all electrics, though, the Spark is much pricier than its gasoline-powered equivalent. The gas-operated Spark starts at $12,245.
Here are more details about the Spark — on everything from styling to power:
UNDER THE HOOD: The Spark EV is powered by an electric motor and a 20 kWh lithium ion battery. It gets 130 horsepower and can go from zero to 60 mph in less than 8 seconds, which is several seconds faster than the gas-powered Spark. GM says the Spark EV is the first all-electric vehicle in North America to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charge capability, which can charge the battery to 80 percent of capacity in about 20 minutes. It can also be fully recharged in seven hours using a standard 240-volt outlet, or longer using a 120-volt outlet.
INSIDE: Though it’s a mini-car, it has lots of big-car touches, like leather seats and GM’s OnStar safety system. The Spark EV will have a smartphone-based infotainment system that gives drivers access to navigation and music apps like Pandora. Drivers with a compatible iPhone can link up their phones and perform tasks — like sending email or texts — by talking to Apple’s Siri. The car also has 10 air bags and electronic stability control, which helps keep it steady despite its small frame.
OUTSIDE: The five-door hatchback is tiny, at 144.7 inches long. That’s about five inches longer than a Fiat 500. It comes in lime green and other unusual hues.
CHEERS: GM customers will now have an all-electric option that costs less than its chief rivals. The EV could also increase buyers’ interest in the gasoline version of the Spark, which went on sale in the summer.
JEERS: Demand for electric cars has been anemic so far. GM and other automakers have fallen significantly short of EV sales targets, especially as gas prices have fallen. Electrics remain expensive, and drivers are concerned about getting stranded too far from a charging station. While the Spark is great for city drivers who need to fit into tight parking spaces, those drivers may not have garages or other spots to charge up their cars at night.
GM R thinking that they R like Apple and they R always coming out with new Electric cars the only problem is that Apple sales a day is more sales that GM did with there ALL electric cars
#LetDetroitGoBankrupt
More stuff from government motors that no 1 wants to buy
yet another Rich Person’s Toy paid for, in large part, by taxpayers
So go to Iran and meet with its president is wrong? (Neurei Karte) Sending them and some other terrorist money weekly is OK? Use your Seichel and go get that car.
Time & Time again GM fells short on styling.
Does this look like a 2014 model or rather like a 2008?
GM should take a look at the latest Models from Ford, Toyota & even Kia, Hyundai, they’ll figure they are 6 years behind.
Yet another GM car fully subsidized by WE THE PEOPLE. Government Motors looses well over 30 THOUSAND DOLLARS per electric car because no one is buying them. Sorry, a few a month which translates into no one.
This is yet another fraud brought to you by the Obama Regime, the letter “O,” and by the number 6 trillion.
how about instead of tax credits, the government puts that money into building charging stations. the main concern here is people do not want to get stranded and the vehicles are overpriced.
to re-quote the article:
“The Spark EV will also be cheaper than most of its electric rivals, GM says. Exact pricing hasn’t been revealed, but the car will start for less than $31,500 in the U.S. BEFORE a $7,500 federal tax credit is factored in.” I.e your paying full price up front
The companies do not appear to be trying with these vehicles. Only Nisan appears to give a hoot.
EV’s have had massive hurdles to overcome. Every manufacturer has had trouble with its early models.
The barriers to success have been:
1. Long charge times.
2. Limited distance.
3. Cost.
4. Availability of parts and service.
5. Cost of parts and service.
The reality is that with each new vehicle, those barriers are being removed. 80% charge in 20 minutes was a grossly unattainable goal until very recently.
People want to mock GM for being out in front on this here in America, but Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are *ALL* in this space (or have vehicles coming out). Do we want to be at the leading edge of the technology or do we want to drive another new industry straight to Asia without even fighting for it?
The idea that the US can be oil-independent is a fairy tale fed to imbeciles by talk radio and TV entertainment show hosts. The reality is that there are over 10,000 approved drilling sites here and off our shores that aren’t even being drilled already! Why? It is too expensive to drill it out of the ground. Workers here can’t live on $2/day. Besides, we only have enough to impact the market by about 4% AT BEST (even with ANWR). Exactly how does that solve the problem?
GM paid back every penny to the government. If they want to invest in making our air cleaner and can find a way to make it work, kol hakavod.