While the price of a Model S may have increased ever-so-slightly, EVs for the rest of us are starting to become reasonable propositions. GM, for instance, has announced that next year’s Chevy Volt will be listed at $34,995, knocking $5,000 from the current list price. Of course, you’ll still have to pay an $810 handling fee on top of that, but federal and state incentives could cut the cost down to $27,495 — which might make you think twice about that i3.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that hydrogen fuel cell cars have vanished when EVs ruletheheadlines, but GM and Honda haven’t forgotten them — in fact, they’ve just unveiled a new fuel cell partnership. The automakers are jointly developing next-generation hydrogen systems and storage, using their collective resources to cut costs and accelerate their schedule. If all goes well, the two companies will show “commercially feasible” fuel cell products around 2020. Don’t fret if that sounds too distant, however. Honda has already committed to launching an FCX Clarity sequel in 2015, and GM is promising additional fuel cell details at a “later date.”
Chevrolet has big ambitions for its tiniest electric car, the Spark EV. The earth-friendly city car follows the Volt, dropping the gas engine in the process and embracing emissions-free motoring at a competitive price. As we’ve seen, though, small EVs can easily fall into the trap of being so eco earnest as to be deathly dull, or alternatively entirely impractical for everyday use. Can the Spark EV keep the best of its gas-powered predecessor and blend it with the benefits of electric motoring? We caught up with Chevrolet for an extended test-drive to see how the Spark EV fared.
Design
The styling of the Spark EV isn’t new, a chunky, angular wedge that looks, with its steeply rising shoulder-line and hidden rear handles, more like a three-door at first glance. In fact, there are doors front and back, pushing the wheels to the very corners, and giving it a squat, punchy stance. Like many subcompacts it’s more cute than it is aggressive, but it wears the new closed upper-grille neatly, and the standard 15-inch alloys are clean.
More importantly, perhaps, Chevrolet says it’s more slippery than its gas-powered cousin. A new underbody design helps there, along with wheel deflectors and a subtle integrated rear spoiler; there’s also an automatic shutter system behind what’s left open in the grille, to adjust airflow.
At 146.5 inches long and 64-inches wide, the Spark EV is shorter and narrower than Nissan’s Leaf, though you lose out on cargo space because of that. Rear seats up, the Chevrolet’s tiny trunk accommodates just 9.6 cubic feet, versus the Leaf’s more ample 24 cubic feet; drop the seats, and you’ll get a healthier 23.4 cubic feet into the Spark EV (or 30 cubic feet into the Nissan).
Still, it’s comfortably enough for a grocery shop, and the smaller Spark EV bests its Nissan rival on overall weight, too. The Chevrolet is 2,989 pounds, while the Leaf comes in at 3,391 pounds; if that still sounds heavy, then you have to blame the electrics. The EV version of the Spark is 621 pounds lighter than its gas-powered auto cousin.
Engines and Performance
We’ll admit it, we’re cautious about conversions, like the Spark’s journey from gas-powered to EV: after all, more than just the engine goes into making a good car. The weight difference too was, on paper at least, another warning sign. Finally, factor in that the original Spark was never going to be mistaken for a sport-compact, and you can understand our reticence.
We needn’t have worried. Both of Chevrolet’s Spark EV variants – the cheaper 1LT and more expensive 2LT – use the same powertrain, a front-wheel drive electric motor mustering 130 HP. That’s already 1.5x more than the gas Spark, but it’s when you look at torque that things get really interesting.
Out of the box there’s 400 lb-ft of torque, which is simply phenomenal for a city car. In contrast, wind the gas Spark up sufficiently, and you’ll squeeze 83 lb-ft out of it at most. The end result is that, like other electric cars, the Spark EV simply throws itself at the road with an eagerness and alacrity that belies its more humble origins.
The good news doesn’t stop there. Since the Spark EV is heavier than its forebear, Chevrolet’s engineers had to do some work to the suspension and weight distribution. That’s worked out to far better ride quality when you’re taking things easily and trying to coax out maximum range, as well as more enthusiastic and eager handling when you’re making the most of all that torque.
Chevrolet quotes a sub-8s 0-60 mph time, along with a top speed of 90 mph, but the Spark EV excels with point & squirt city driving, dashing into gaps in traffic, thrumming forward from lights, and generally feeling considerably more lively than you might expect. It’s still very quiet inside, mind, with just the occasional whine from the electric drive.
Two transmission modes are on offer. In regular “Drive” mode, the Spark EV mimics a normal automatic gearchange, albeit without any noticeable shift-jerk; flip into “Low” mode, however, and the regenerative braking system – which claws back power by momentarily turning the electric drive motors into generators – kicks in more aggressively, rapidly slowing the car when you lift your foot off the accelerator. It takes a little getting used to, but it can add to your overall range.
Range is the big question around EVs, especially pure-electric cars like the Spark EV. Chevrolet quotes up to 82 miles on a full charge of the 21.3 kWh Li-Ion battery, with the option to “fill up” either from a standard 120V AC supply, from a specially-installed 240V supply, or finally from an SAE Standard Fast Charging outlet.
The difference between the three is time. On an SAE connection, which should become more prevalent as this year progresses, the Spark EV will recharge to 80-percent in around 20 minutes time. A 240V charge takes more like seven hours, Chevrolet says; best to treat the 120V cord as a travel emergency option, since a full recharge on that can take up to 20 hours.
We didn’t have long enough with the Spark EV to test the various charging methods, though we did grow to appreciate Chevrolet’s Driver Information Center, which delivers dynamic battery information to a 7-inch screen on the dashboard (more on which in the following section). Rather than simply offer a single figure for remaining range, the Spark EV adds a “confidence” number to the estimate, based on whether you’re driving enthusiastically or sticking to more economical patterns. The Spark EV even tries to gamily the process with an “Efficiency Gauge”, encouraging the responsible driver to keep an animated green ball centered by driving sensibly.
Interior
Given the sticker price, it’s not surprising that Chevrolet has heaped on the standard-fit equipment versus the gas-powered model. So, the Spark EV 1LT still gets that 7-inch touchscreen dash, 6-speaker audio with SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth for streaming and hands-free use, a USB connection, air conditioning, remote keyless entry and power locking, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, an alarm, and fog lamps out of the gate.
The 2LT version throws in “dark pewter” leatherette front seats with blue accent stitching, that are also heated, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It also gets the DV Fast Charger as an option. Both variants have 10 airbags, hill-start assist, tire pressure monitoring, and OnStar.
Chevrolet’s MyLink entertainment system makes an appearance, too, taking advantage of the Bluetooth connectivity to get the Spark EV online via your smartphone. One connected, the car can stream from internet radio stations as well as services like Pandora, in addition to Siri voice control. There’s also support for BringGo, a turn-by-turn navigation system priced at $49.99, including 3D mapping and overlaid indicators to show how the range remaining of the Spark EV meshes up with your programmed destination.
However, it’s worth noting that – unlike some other MyLink-equipped cars in Chevrolet’s line-up – the Spark EV doesn’t support the enhanced voice recognition system, Gracenote database access for identifying track, or indeed have a CD player. Still, as systems go, it’s impressive – certainly for a city car – and intuitive enough to use on the move.
The rest of the cabin is solid, though you won’t mistake it for a Tesla Model S. The plastics are sturdy though not especially premium to the touch, with the glossy surround for the touchscreen keen to pick up fingerprints. Everything works, and the standard equipment list is bulging, but it’s perhaps where GM’s budgetary constraints show to the greatest extent; the leatherette seats, for instance, aren’t ever going to be mistaken for real leather.
Pricing
On Chevrolet’s books, the Spark EV starts at $26,685 for the 1LT and $27,010 for the 2LT. Throw in the most generous federal tax credit – which varies by state, though initially the car will only be sold in California and Oregon – and you can cut that by up to $7,500, bringing the total cost of entry down to $19,185 excluding the usual destination, registration, and other fees.
Alternatively, Chevrolet will offer you the Spark EV on a $199 per month lease: $999 down to begin with, plus fees and taxes, and then less than $200 a month for three years. It’s hard to ignore the fact that, for under $200 a month, the Spark EV lease could easily be cheaper than many spend in gas over the same period.
As for the optional 240V charger, Chevrolet will offer up to $500 to Spark EV drivers – whether they buy the car outright, or lease it – toward its cost, though they’ll be expected to foot the bill for Bosch installation themselves.
Wrap-Up
Electric cars are still not for everyone. The Spark EV’s 82 mile range is likely fine for city dwellers, but those with more ambitious driving needs could easily find themselves reaching the limits of the Chevrolet’s endurance. If your workplace has a 240V charger than that may not be insurmountable, but relying on the 120V portable charger – and its lethargic rejuicing times – means you’re likely to see the Spark EV spend more time plugged in than one the road.
That would be a real shame, too, since the Spark EV is one of the best driving electric vehicles – and, indeed, city cars – we’ve tried in a long time. The immediacy of the acceleration, the great lashings of torque – more, Chevrolet tongue-in-cheek points out, than a Porsche Carrera S or a Ferrari 458 Italia – and the responsive steering and suspension add up to an eco car that isn’t akin to wearing a hair-shirt in terms of worthy-but-dull driving.
Tesla’s Model S may be the poster child of environmentally friendly transportation, but with its competitive lease pricing and solid balance of performance and features, the Chevrolet Spark EV is perhaps the peoples’ choice. It’s a conversion that easily outclasses its predecessors, and is worth considering by city dwellers looking for peppy frugality without the guilt of gas.
GM and Honda will collaborate on fuel-cell car development, the two companies have confirmed, preparing hydrogen power systems, storage, and refueling infrastructure for a 2020 launch timeframe. The team effort will see GM and Honda work with third-parties on building out networks for hydrogen availability, with the goal being a broadly accessible three-minute refuel. Both companies already have fuel-cell powered cars on the roads, though in limited numbers.
Honda began leasing the FCX more than a decade ago, following it up with the FCX Clarity. In total, there are 85 examples of both models combined in the US and Japan. As for GM, that has 119 Project Driveway cars on the US roads – modified versions of the Chevy Equinox – with a total of almost 3m miles under their collective belts since 2007.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles have already made headlines this week, with Toyota revealing plans to have a 2015 model year car, powered by fuel-cells, on the road in 2014. The unnamed vehicle is expected to cost in the same region as a Tesla Model S – putting it somewhere in the $50,000 to $75,000 bracket – and offer a roughly 300 mile range on a full tank.
However, the potential for fuel-cells has also been loudly criticized of late. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, held little back when criticizing the technology, arguing that range and refueling issues made it impractical in comparison to EVs such as the company’s own Model S. Meanwhile, there remain questions around hydrogen supply infrastructure, which is currently limited to a small number of locations.
Despite the arguments, Honda is already working on a successor to the FCX Clarity, which it expects to launch by 2015. GM hasn’t publicly confirmed its fuel-cell production plans, though holding off a broad launch until the refueling points are more widespread seems sensible.
Fuel cells work by combining hydrogen gas – stored under high pressure in a tank in the car – and oxygen in the presence of layers of polymer electrolyte membranes coated with a catalyst. Each layer produces less than a volt, individually, but when harnessed in large numbers, the power becomes sufficient to drive electric motors and, thus, a car.
Both companies have taken multiple approaches to cutting reliance on gas engines. In GM’s case, the company already has the Volt, which pairs electric and gas, and more recently has launched the Spark EV, which is an entirely electric version of the Spark city car. The Cadillac ELR meanwhile, set to launch in early 2014, also pairs gas and electric power, though the traditional engine is only ever used to recharge the batteries for the electric motors.
Over in Honda’s range, there are hybrid versions of the Insight, Civic, and CR-Z, along with a natural gas Civic, and full-electric Fit and Accord variants.
Chevrolet‘s first attempt at a true hybrid vehicle isn’t going so well, and the company is boosting incentives just to get the cars rolling off of dealership lots. It turns out that Chevrolet has way too many Volts lying around, mostly due to the fact that Chevrolet is churning them off of the assembly line,
GM will make remote start standard across 36 of its 2014 model year cars – spanning Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC – at no extra cost, the company has announced, as part of a push around its RemoteLink mobile app. The feature, which will be accompanied by remote unlocking and the ability to sound the
Cadillac’s first 2014 ELR hybrids have been snapped leaving the production line, though the “range-extended” car itself still isn’t expected to arrive in showrooms until early in the new year. The initial ELR cars – which borrow much of their mechanical and technological magic from the Chevrolet Volt, but wrap it up in a coupe shell with various luxury extras – are destined for further testing, similar to the cold-weather conditions tests GM put the ELR through back in February.
The photos, shared by GM, were taken at the car company’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant this week, where various Chevy and Cadillac race drivers had been invited to watch the first ELR models be completed. Among the guests was Team Chevy IndyCar driver Simona De Silvestro, shown in the photo below.
Cadillac’s goal with the ELR is to ween its luxury customers off of their big gas engines as well as lure a younger audience onto the forecourt. Outwardly based on the 2011 Converj concept, under the skin there’s a 1.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine that’s used solely to recharge the ELR’s batteries, rather than to actively drive the wheels.
“Cadillac ELR pre-production vehicles will be used to validate manufacturing, engineering and other quality measures before production vehicles are assembled at the end of the year for sale in 2014″ GM
Drive itself is provided by the electric motors, and Cadillac says the ELR will run for up to 35 miles on a full charge. However, with a full tank of gas, the coupe can manage in excess of 300 miles, the company claims.
Interestingly, GM leaves gearchanges to the ELR’s digital brain, and instead puts the driver in charge of regenerative efficiency. The steering wheel paddles, rather than flitting through ratios, actually adjust how much of the car’s momentum is converted back into power for the batteries. Dubbed “Regen on Demand”, when the driver takes their foot off of the accelerator and pulls one of the paddles there’s a downshift-style jump in deceleration, with the resistance of the electric motors turning speed into a useful power top-up.
That works in tandem with the regenerative braking system, which also converts momentum to electricity when the driver hits the brakes. However, Cadillac expects Regen on Demand to be more popular with sportier drivers, given it allows the ELR to shed speed more rapidly, build up a boost of energy, and keep their foot close to the accelerator, all at the same time.
Drivers of the 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray will get a little more grunt than they expected, with GM confirming that the car’s LT1 6.2-liter V8 is in fact good for up to 460HP and 465lb-ft of torque. Back when the striking two seater was first unveiled in January, GM estimated its power as coming in at around the 450HP mark; the new Stingray is good for a sub-4s 0-60mph time.
Although the LT1 might be good for 460HP, the Corvette Stingray itself will be SAE-certified at a little less: 455HP and 460lb-ft of torque, when outfitted with the standard exhaust system GM offers. Still, that’ll nonetheless be good for 26mpg in highway driving, though we’d expect that to take a significant hit if you drive it like it’s meant to be.
The 2014 car also sees some new engine features that are fresh to the Corvette range, many with efficiency in mind. Most obvious is Active Fuel Management, which can shut down half of the car’s eight cylinders during more casual driving, cutting gas consumption in the process. Get more energetic behind the wheel, and the rest of the LT1 instantly wakes up.
There’s also Direct Injection, which is said to improve combustion efficiency by ensuring the fuel-air mixture is correct. It works along with a new cylinder-head and new piston design, for higher compression.
Chevrolet’s ambitions for the Corvette C7 are believed to be considerably higher than 455HP, however. Previous leaks have suggested that GM is readying a revival of the ZT1 name, using a supercharged version of the LT1 engine for a newly-dubbed LT5 good for as much as 700HP.
That car, if real, isn’t expected to reach showrooms for some time, however – into 2014, the leaks suggested – while the existing C7 will show up on forecourts this fall. Its convertible sibling will arrive by the end of the year.
Chevrolet’s Spark could slip under the all-important $20k barrier, assuming government eco-car subsidies work in your favor, with the EV priced up ahead of its showroom arrival in mid-June. The sticker price of the battery-powered Chevy will be $27,495, the company has confirmed, but it hopes a brace of tax credits, incentives, and a new lease option will see the car hit Tesla Model S style popularity, rather than moldering like a Nissan Leaf.
Those tax incentives could amount to as much as $7,500, depending on where the car is registered. Add in California credits some are eligible, and that could knock another $2,500 off the sticker; in fact, GM says, the Spark EV could end up $17,495 if the driver can get all the potential discounts.
Difficulty in getting behind the wheel might be a matter more of finding a showroom with the Spark inside, rather than affording it. Chevrolet’s initial roll-out plans consist of select dealers in California and Oregon; beyond that, it’s not clear which states will get the car next.
As for the lease, that’s $199 per month over the course of three years, after a $999 initial payment and fees, assuming you qualify.
Since range anxiety is likely to be a lasting concern for electric car drivers, the Spark EV works with Chevy’s RemoteLink app that hooks up via Bluetooth with the in-car systems and OnStar; that can re-plan your journey so that you drive via a charging station if you won’t have sufficient power to make it all the way.
That’ll work best with the optional DC Fast Charging – though not quite ready for the June launch – which will allow the Spark to power back up to 80-percent in around 20 minutes. Chevrolet says that, unlike some of its (unnamed) rivals’ cars, the Spark can use DC Fast Charging multiple times during the day without ill-effect. From a 240V supply the car will get to 100-percent in under 7hrs.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
