GM's 100% EV, the Chevy Spark

The concept was always an ICE. The question was is GM going to offer in the US?
There are rumors of an EV version of it.

The name makes as much sense as any other car name out there.

 

The Spark was always just another small car in the GM lineup. It wasn't an EV inherently. The Spark EV was an electric car.

 

That's what I remember hearing at the Los Angeles auto show last year. The Spark was a normal ICE car. And aside from it, there was a prototype Spark EV. It's kind of like a Smart car and an EV Smart car, or a Focus and a Focus EV.

I have to give GM a lot of credit for putting a 1.2L engine in a car! Nice!
Hopefully, Toyota counterstrikes by offering a 1.2L version of the Yaris.

 

Sonic is ICE, Spark is EV

 

Sonic and Spark are not the same platform. Sonic is indeed ICE, but Spark has been shown around for a couple of years now as ICE and only recently was said to have an EV variant in the works. Spark is not a purpose built EV.

 

You gain a little more intuition when using the Korean name for the Spark: Daewoo Matiz. Daewoo has made some great cost cuttings to keep it affordable, but it is still a very cheat not-intended-for-EV platform so expect something in the line of Mitsubishi MiEV.

 

Daewoo Matiz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's a small city car like the Smart Fortwo, iQ, and Fiat 500. The EV version is scheduled to arrive later, but just introducing a smaller car is a good step.

 

What I can't figure out is this: Why is Chevy trying to sell on performance at a time when gas prices are spiking? Car buyers won't touch SUV's this season, they'll buy all the high mileage cars they can get.

 

Gas isn't high enough yet. There are 2 new full-cab trucks in my work parking lot right now.

 

All the updates seem to be from late last year. Here's a video of the car.
Video: GM to sell Spark as first all-electric car since EV-1

 

The link you posted states: "will sell its first production all-electric car in the U.S. in 2013. It will be battery EV version of the coming Spark mini-car" and "The EV version will be sold in "limited quantities" in select U.S. markets, including California, says GM."

The official Chevrolet website states: "1.2L I-4 engine with a 5-speed manual transmission"
2013 Chevy Spark | Mini Car | Chevrolet

 

I don't think you can go by the Chevy site. GM has said they're going to come out with a diesel Cruze and then with a plug-in hybrid Cruze, but that's not mentioned yet on their site.

 

sounds about right. With the volt/imev/focus I can't think of this as anything but a me too ev. But they look like they are building it.

They are developing a phev cruze, but I have not heard they are committed to actually sell them. That is probably why its not on the website.

 

GM Mulls Production Site for Chevy Spark | Hybrid Cars

 

An EV with a manual transmission is wrong headed, and this one smells of slap-dash improvisation. Is it an attempt to make a pokey EV more Fun! to drive? Why would someone buy one?

 

Why do you think the BEV model will have a stick? The gasoline model has a stick shift. This is not a BEV only platform. Its a gasoline platform modified for bev.

 

The Spark EV is being tested in Cal.
Chevrolet Spark EV Tested In California, Details Unavailable

 

Not really suv's and trucks are still rolling off the lots dozens and dozens of times before 1 high mpg car sells.