Chevrolet Spark EV: 400lb-ft of torque and 20min charges
The Chevrolet Spark is one of roughly three hundred or so vehicles General Motors paid to showcase in the blockbuster Transformers movies. It might not have gotten as much screen time as Shia LeBeouf but it’s shaping up to be much more interesting. The 2014 Spark will come with an optional all-electric powertrain, which wouldn't be the biggest of news if it weren't for two head-turning specifications:
- 400lb-ft of torque
- Level three charging capability
Making nearly as much torque as the Camaro SS the Spark is expected to hum from 0-60mph in less than eight seconds. That's impressive by current electric car standards considering how heavy their batteries tend to be; in the Spark’s case 560lbs.
More exciting, the Spark will be the first electric vehicle to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capability (Level 3) which should allow it to reach 80-percent charge in 20 minutes. Critics are quick to mention the faster a battery receives charge the shorter its lifespan becomes, and they are indeed correct. GM plans to keep the Spark's batteries under warranty for eight years or 100,000 miles, after which time the technology will most likely have become obsolete anyhow.
But yeah, don’t bank on passing a Spark EV down to your baby cousin. He’ll probably be surfing the web on his eyelids by then.
The electric Spark is expected to manage 60-100miles on a single charge with an MSRP of $25,000 or less after the $7,500 tax credit is applied. GM is being picky about where they’ll sell it though. So far we’ve heard California, Oregon, Canada, South Korea and “other global markets.”
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