[gkr778]

After over 300k miles of mostly trouble-free service from her 2005 Pontiac Vibe GT 6MT, my wife will be driving something new(er). We just completed an order for a 2015 Chevy Spark EV 1LT with about 20k miles on the odometer. There were no Spark EVs available for sale in the Memphis area to our knowledge, so I contacted a dealership in the Baltimore, Maryland area where one of my friends who served with me in Army National Guard now works.

The car is very clean, and will be shipped to our home within the next 2 weeks. Final price was $8,500 + shipping + the usual fees and taxes (most of which are applicable to our home state of Mississippi, where the vehicle will be registered).

Apparently the previous owner of the car once worked at the now closed GMPT White Marsh facility near Baltimore that assembled the motor used in Spark EV. When GM sold Spark EV as a new vehicle in the U.S., it was only available in California and Oregon for the first model year (2014). For MY 2015, it was introduced in Maryland, presumably at least partially a result of the GMPT White Marsh connection.

Here's a 2014 comparison test from Car and Driver in which Spark EV won first place

And here is the obligatory photo of the car, sent to us by the dealership:

 

[emh]

Congrats! I always felt GM should have done more to promote the Spark EV but I guess such is the life of a "compliance car".

Would like to hear your thoughts on the range when you get the car. Both in terms of whether you see much/any degradation from the original range and whether you guys feel any "range anxiety" as most people seem to think 200+ mile range is necessary for an EV.

 

[wallus13]

Congrats on your new EV! I am assuming you will be like me and grow to enjoy the advantages of an electric car.

 

[1958carnut]

Congrats on the purchase, it looks pretty good. Best performance and second best range in the C&D test ain't too bad either.

 

[mbukukanyau]

Congratulations. That car has always intrigued me. It’s got lots of torque for its size.

 

[gkr778]

It’s got lots of torque for its size.

This is the perhaps the most impressive spec on Spark EV: 327 lb-ft of torque! In 2015, the only U.S. market Chevrolet passenger cars with a higher torque rating were Camaro V8, SS, and Corvette.

 

[Neanderthal]

Coolness gkr. I'm looking forward to your evaluation.

 

[tripowergto Jan2003]

Congrats. Sparky has some HUGE headlights for such a petite machine.

 

[BlackGTP]

Congratulations!

I had to re-read when you said Spark-EV, I didn't remember that they made an EV version!

Wow - 327 lb ft torque! What a beast! What's the 0-60 on this?

 

[gkr778]

Congratulations!

I had to re-read when you said Spark-EV, I didn't remember that they made an EV version!

Wow - 327 lb ft torque! What a beast! What's the 0-60 on this?

Thanks BlackGTP! My wife and I think "Spark" is the perfect name for an electric vehicle. Ours will be nicknamed "Sparky". Maybe that's just the redneck in us.

0-60 mph time on Spark EV is in the upper 7 second range. Car and Driver recorded 7.9 seconds.

Where Spark EV (and electric vehicles in general) excels is standing start acceleration. In Car and Driver's testing, Spark EV was actually faster in the 5-60 mph acceleration test than in 0-60, with 7.7 seconds for the former. Almost all gasoline and diesel powered vehicles by contrast will be slower in the 5-60 mph test, because that test eliminates "rollout" and the use of aggressive launch techniques like brake torqueing. IMO, the 5-60 mph test is a better measure of powertrain response times and low-end torque. Electric motors produce maximum torque at 0 rpm, so there is no lag.

 

[gkr778]

In case anyone's interested, here is the AC Level 2 charging apparatus we bought:
ClipperCreek AmazingE 16 ampere portable charging station

We already have a NEMA 14-30 outlet in the garage, so this is well suited for charging "Sparky" at home.

 

[eaton53]

Sweet deal!
Carvana sells lots of these and they're a grand or more higher than you paid.

whether you guys feel any "range anxiety" as most people seem to think 200+ mile range is necessary for an EV.

Most people don't get that you don't need to lug around a crapload of battery if it's suited for purpose, like a relatively short work commute.

 

[Neanderthal]

Congratulations!

I had to re-read when you said Spark-EV, I didn't remember that they made an EV version!

Wow - 327 lb ft torque! What a beast! What's the 0-60 on this?

I suggest gkr order some old Chibby 327 tags and put them on the front fenders.

 

[gkr778]

I suggest gkr order some old Chibby 327 tags and put them on the front fenders.

I like your idea and will start trolling eBay tomorrow!

The number 327 is both precise and accurate for 2015 Spark EV, unlike the nonsensical rounded down (oh never mind, that should be rounded up) newton-meter values Cadillac's marketing dweebs decided to use for their cars!

 

[Neanderthal]

I like your idea and will start trolling eBay tomorrow!

The number 327 is both precise and accurate for 2015 Spark EV, unlike the nonsensical rounded down (oh never mind, that should be rounded up) newton-meter values Cadillac's marketing dweebs decided to use for their cars!

Capital, Watson! Capital idea!

 

[Shotgun]

Congrats on the Spark! They're good cars and get good reviews from owners. Let us know your thoughts after you've had it a while.

 

[CJH]

I suggest gkr order some old Chibby 327 tags and put them on the front fenders.

Nope. According to the genius Mktg Dept at GM, it should be 443. 😛

327 Foot-Pound (ft∙lb)

=

443.35247 Newton-Meter (N∙m)

 

[BlackGTP]

Thanks BlackGTP! My wife and I think "Spark" is the perfect name for an electric vehicle. Ours will be nicknamed "Sparky". Maybe that's just the redneck in us.

0-60 mph time on Spark EV is in the upper 7 second range. Car and Driver recorded 7.9 seconds.

Where Spark EV (and electric vehicles in general) excels is standing start acceleration. In Car and Driver's testing, Spark EV was actually faster in the 5-60 mph acceleration test than in 0-60, with 7.7 seconds for the former. Almost all gasoline and diesel powered vehicles by contrast will be slower in the 5-60 mph test, because that test eliminates "rollout" and the use of aggressive launch techniques like brake torqueing. IMO, the 5-60 mph test is a better measure of powertrain response times and low-end torque. Electric motors produce maximum torque at 0 rpm, so there is no lag.

I've noticed the diffrences between 0-60 and 5-60, I've noticed some vehicles have a full second difference, particularly "fast" vehicles.

 

[eaton53]

whether you guys feel any "range anxiety" as most people seem to think 200+ mile range is necessary for an EV.

Nope. According to the genius Mktg Dept at GM, it should be 443. 😛

327 Foot-Pound (ft∙lb)

=

443.35247 Newton-Meter (N∙m)

Close enough!!
440 Mopar Badges/Emblems | eBay

 

[emh]

Thanks BlackGTP! My wife and I think "Spark" is the perfect name for an electric vehicle. Ours will be nicknamed "Sparky". Maybe that's just the redneck in us.

0-60 mph time on Spark EV is in the upper 7 second range. Car and Driver recorded 7.9 seconds.

Where Spark EV (and electric vehicles in general) excels is standing start acceleration. In Car and Driver's testing, Spark EV was actually faster in the 5-60 mph acceleration test than in 0-60, with 7.7 seconds for the former. Almost all gasoline and diesel powered vehicles by contrast will be slower in the 5-60 mph test, because that test eliminates "rollout" and the use of aggressive launch techniques like brake torqueing. IMO, the 5-60 mph test is a better measure of powertrain response times and low-end torque. Electric motors produce maximum torque at 0 rpm, so there is no lag.

This is one of the things that's underappreciated about EVs. While a lot of the marketing is around 0-60, 10-40 or 20-50 or so is much more useful in real life for passing and emergency maneuvers, and EVs are quicker in that range than their 0-60 suggests. I looked at those intermediate ranges a few months back and remember some mainstream EVs being quicker than the likes of an M5 in that range.