Launched in 2014, the Chevy Spark EV was the battery-powered sibling of the third generation Spark from General Motors. It was a limited production car manufactured between 2013-2016. The Spark EVs were compliance cars that adhered to the government mandate (to sell zero-emission vehicles). They were specifically designed to penetrate the market of a few US states. Interestingly, they were neither produced nor sold in the open market, where no government rules existed. This 5-door hatchback was unveiled at the 2012 LA Motor Show for the first time. They were killed in 2016 after GM launched Bolt which had way more range than the former.
The Chevy Spark EV is one of the best Chevrolet models of the decade. It was a small but power-packed car. Car And Driver called this model a huge improvement over its gasoline-powered sibling and rated it a 10/10. It's a shame that it was discontinued so soon. The first all-electric car from GM after the EV1, this one is often ignored amidst the bigger, fancier cars.
The Spark EV came with a front-wheel-drive powertrain that churned 140 horsepower and an insanely high 400 lb-ft torque. That was way more grunt than most of the supercars. The car looks really small from the outside but surprisingly packs huge passenger and storage space. Even though it is heavy, the weight does not discourage the agility of this swift fully electric car. It was and still is exceptionally fun to drive.
The range is king for fully electric cars. When out for buying an EV, a buyer wants a car that can cover the longest distance on a single charge. How far does a Chevy Spark EV run on a single charge? Find out that and more below.
The Company Claims
The estimated EPA range of this subcompact car is 82 miles after a full charge session. If the data is compared with the competitors, the 2016 Mitsubishi i-Miev and 2016 Ford Focus offer a range of around 62 and 76 miles on a single charge. The Spark clearly has an advantage over most of the small size electric cars. Its mileage equivalent is 128 mpge in the city, 109mpge on the highway, and around 119 mpge combined. The battery can be charged up to 80% of its capacity within 20 minutes through the use of a DC fast charger.
Its 21.3 kWh lithium-ion battery takes about 7 hours to fully charge on a 240V charging station. At-home charge on a 110V takes around 17 hours to fill it up. They changed the battery pack to a smaller capacity pack LG Chem in 2015, which meant more space all the while maintaining the same electric range.
The single-speed automatic transmission has been paired well with the powerful electric motor. The combination renders a crisp response, balanced ride, and pleasant handling in spite of being the heaviest factory Spark model. This mini car can hit zero to 60 in just 7.6 seconds. It isn't supercar fast but peppy enough for a heavy hatch like this.
Covered by an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty and a pretty decent range, the Spark EV makes some excellent arguments. Let's see if it was able to deliver.
Real-Time Range
The EPA data is an estimate and the real-time range can greatly differ from the approximate values depending upon the speed, weather, type of road and even driving styles. The weather, road, elevations, and wind all affect the final outcome. The Spark EV delivers the most range inside the city due to the stop-and-go traffic. However, about 20% of its range is lost if you use the heater in the winters. Moreover, the car feels skittish at high speeds outside the city or on highways and the range can suffer too.
Inside EVs did a small experiment to find out the real-time range if they drove the car at 70mph on the highway with climate controls on. The Spark EV could cover 63 miles under the conditions. So, the range evidently depends on a lot of factors but if you could drive the car patiently with minimal usage of weather controls, there is enough juice to last for about 92 miles. Some users swear to get over 100 miles out of their car. Unless you are overtly demanding, drivers say that 82 miles is a conservative figure and Spark EV can cover a hundred miles easily.
Perhaps one of the most underrated and forgotten electric cars, the Chevy Spark EV is no less than a wonder. This fun compact car is perfect for city driving, and going by the fact that you can get almost new ones at around $10,000 or less, it’s a no-brainer.