Lease deals will start at $199 per month for 36 months with $999 due at signing and before applicable tax, title, license dealer fees.

“The Chevrolet Spark EV is the most efficient – and now one of the most affordable – EVs you can buy” said Chris Perry, vice president, Chevrolet Marketing. “Combined with outstanding infotainment and great design, the fun-to-drive Spark EV is engineered to impress.”

By comparison, a Nissan Leaf S starts at $29,650 including $850 destination fee and is a larger class of vehicle, and the Leaf has become the world’s top-selling EV with over 25,000 sold in America, and 62,000 worldwide.

With regard to the value offered to the Spark EV Chevrolet adds state subsidies could drop the net outlay to as little as $17,495, taking the $2,500 California state incentive for example.

Chevrolet estimates the Spark EV will save drivers on average $150 per month in fuel costs assuming EPA estimated numbers for mileage driven, efficiency comparisons and fuel costs.

Select dealers in California and Oregon will have these cars available some time in mid June, Chevrolet said, without mentioning roll out details for any other state.

The Leaf is available in all states, and has just seen an uptick in its EPA mileage estimates, but the Spark EV is rated a bit higher.

Chevrolet’s Spark EV promises 400 pound-feet of torque however, much more than the Nissan’s at less than half that. That said, how the Spark’s outsized number translates to road speed is affected by the fact that the Spark has a taller gear ratio than the Chevy Volt, for example, and the net gain at the wheels over the Volt is not as large as would appear from just comparing motor torque.

Nissan’s Leaf is geared for maximum effect for the power it has, and is a peppy car to average around-town commuter speeds, but it did see torque reduced this year to augment range.

California and Oregon buyers – or those who travel to those states to buy – will have several more variables to consider besides in assessing between the Leaf or Spark EV.

However individual value comparisons turn out, there is now one more EV due on the roads from a major manufacturer, and this is a stepping stone toward progress in the eyes of EV proponents.

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This means that when compared to the average new vehicle, the Spark EV can potentially save its owners up to $9,000 in fuel cost over five years.

The Spark EV goes on sale this summer in California and Oregon.

“Being able to provide our customers with the best overall efficiency of any retail EV has always been a key target for the Spark EV engineering team,” said Pam Fletcher, GM executive chief engineer for electrified vehicles. “We’re poised to deliver to the market an EV that’s not just efficient, but also thrilling to drive thanks to the 400 pound-feet torque output of its electric motor.

The company said the Spark EV’s 21 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack will continue Chevrolet’s tradition of offering industry-leading limited warranty protection – eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The Spark EV will be the first vehicle on the market to offer as an available option the recently approved SAE combo charger for DC Fast Charging. The capability, available shortly after launch, will enable the Spark EV to recharge up to 80 percent of its capacity in approximately 20 minutes.

According to Chevrolet, the battery system is capable of handling multiple DC Fast Charges daily.

Charging can also be completed in less than seven hours using a dedicated 240V charge. A 120V charge cord set comes standard.

Charging of the Spark EV can be managed and monitored remotely using the Spark EV’s smart phone application, provided by OnStar, which is standard for three years.

“The Chevrolet Spark EV is a great city car which blends technology, functionality and style in an unexpected package” said Cristi Landy, director of Chevrolet small and electrified vehicle marketing. “We built on the success of the Volt and the gas-powered Spark to offer an affordable, fun and efficient mini car our customers will love to drive.”

Chevrolet also said the Spark EV will set an acceleration benchmark for an urban city electric vehicle – 0-60 mph in under eight seconds due to the mating of a permanent magnet electric motor, which produces more than 100 kilowatt (130 horsepower), with the coaxial drive unit.

The GM designed oil-cooled, permanent magnet motor is the heart of the Spark EV’s propulsion system.

Per General Motors, putting more than half a million road miles on development versions of the Spark EV enabled engineers to make the performance of the electric motor the best it could be by using a bar wound copper stator and unique rotor configuration.

The motor and drive unit are assembled at GM’s Baltimore operations plant in White Marsh, Md.

Last week, the plant celebrated the Spark EV motor production in Baltimore, marking the first time a major U.S. auto manufacturer has designed and built both a complete electric motor and drive unit for a modern electric vehicle in the United States.

The post It’s Official: Spark EV Rated At 119 MPGe appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Electric motors for the new Chevrolet Spark EV are now manufactured at its Baltimore Operations plant in White Marsh, Md.

“The era of using electricity to help improve performance and fuel economy is already here and the trend is only going to grow,” said Mike Robinson, GM vice president of Sustainability. “Today is further proof GM is leading in the development of electric vehicles that will improve America’s energy security.”

GM engineers designed and developed the Spark EV’s motor and drive unit to provide maximum efficiency and power with world-class reliability. They said the permanent magnet motor features a unique design to provide precise delivery of power.

The Spark EV electric motor will produce 130 horsepower (100 kilowatts) and 400 pound-feet of torque.  This will result in an acceleration of less than 8 seconds from 0 to 60 mph.

The Spark EV will be sold in California and Oregon this summer and sales will later expand to Canada, Europe and South Korea.

“Electric motor development and manufacturing is a critical area of expertise GM has mastered as we grow our portfolio of electric vehicles to address the needs of our global customers.” said Larry Nitz, GM executive director of Vehicle Electrification Engineering.

After refining its expertise in electric motors at a pilot facility in Wixom, Mich., production of electric motors began at White Marsh. Workers at the Baltimore plant completed extensive training on the operation of the machines used to configure portions of the electric motor and drive units.

“The motor design was created by American engineers and it’s being manufactured and assembled by American workers,” said plant manager Bill Tiger. “By designing electric motors in Michigan and manufacturing them at Baltimore Operations, GM controls the design, materials and production processes, as well as reducing costs and improving performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability.”

GM said the Baltimore facility is highly green and environmentally friendly. It is GM’s exclusive manufacturer of A1000 transmissions for heavy duty pickup trucks and electric motors and drivetrains for the Chevrolet Spark EV.

The facility has been landfill free since 2007, recycling 100 percent of its waste. Baltimore’s facility has had a 1.2 megawatt roof mounted solar array installed in May 2011 and received certification for their Wildlife Habitat in June 2011.

A new facility has been built on the campus to house manufacturing for eMotor production.

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The Spark EV will initially be a fleet vehicle only and pricing will be announced closer to launch. It will be eligible for Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia provincial EV incentives.

According to Chevrolet, with the Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet accounts for more than 50 percent of all plug-in electric vehicle sales in the North America. The Spark EV builds on Chevrolet’s proven electric motor and battery development programs.

Chevrolet expects the Spark EV to have, at launch, among the best EV battery range in its segment and to be the first electric vehicle to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capability, enabling the Spark EV to reach 80-percent battery charge in just 20 minutes.

The Spark EV will come with Chevrolet’s MyLink radio that will be standard equipment and brings smartphone-based infotainment – including apps for BringGo full-function navigation, TuneIn global internet radio, and Stitcher – into the vehicle. Apple’s Siri will ride shotgun, for customers with compatible (4S and newer) iPhones.

In addition to previously announced markets including California and South Korea, the Spark EV is confirmed to go on sale in participating dealerships throughout Oregon and Canada (Fleet only).

The Spark EV will be eligible for coveted high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in California, and similar HOV lanes in participating Canadian provinces.

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The car will be sold in select European markets as of 2014.

Chevrolet anticipates the Spark EV will set a benchmark in performance for an urban city electric car; the Spark EV is powered by the most advanced electric motor and battery system General Motors has ever built.

“The Spark EV is a fun-to-drive zero-emission city car with intelligent connectivity. We believe it will resonate particularly in some of Europe’s most technologically advanced markets,” says Susan Docherty, President and Managing Director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe. “Just like Volt, this nimble battery-powered vehicle is a proof point for Chevrolet’s ingenuity in delivering smart mobility solutions.”

The heart of the Spark EV’s propulsion system is its GM-designed permanent magnet electric motor. It delivers more than 130 horsepower (100 kilowatt) and will enable 0-60 mph acceleration in under 8.5 seconds.

The Spark EV will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery system of more than 20 kilowatt-hour that operates with the help of an active liquid cooling and heating system. The battery pack has been engineered to enable both regular alternate current (AC) and direct current (DC) fast charging.

Chevrolet said DC fast charging will allow the car to recharge up to 80 percent of its capacity in approximately 20 minutes. Moreover, the battery system is capable of handling multiple DC fast charges daily. AC recharging requires between 6 and 8 hours, using a 230V outlet.

A charging extension is standard.

According to Chevrolet, the Spark EV was designed to look edgy and expressive. Among the most prominent aspects of its stylish interior is a column-mounted instrument cluster that features one of two large seven-inch full-color LCD screens. The other display is located in the center stack and serves as the interface for infotainment, cabin climate controls and energy-efficiency data.

The Spark EV will come with the Chevrolet MyLink connected radio technology as standard, which allows users to connect compatible smartphones to the radio with its high resolution touch screen. Chevrolet said MyLink will support a number of select apps which will allow users to navigate using their smartphone, and listen to radio stations around the world through the internet. A rear-view camera will provide assistance when the car is in reverse.

In addition, MyLink users who own a compatible iPhone (4S and higher) running iOS6 will be able to utilise Siri to perform a number of tasks while they keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

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Siri is a voice-based intelligent assistant well known for its presence on recent Apple iPhones.

“The Chevy Sonic and Spark are the first vehicles to offer Siri Eyes Free integration,” said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars. “Safe, easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink’s existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience.”

Chevrolet said through the cars’ standard Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, customers with a compatible iPhone running iOS 6 can direct Siri to perform a number of tasks while they safely keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. To further minimize distraction, Siri takes hands-free functionality even further with an Eyes Free mode which enables drivers to interact with their iPhones using nothing more than their voice while keeping the device’s screen from lighting up.

Owners simply connect their iPhone with the MyLink radio via Bluetooth, pair with the system, and use the steering wheel voice activation button to begin and end sessions with Siri.

In the 2013 Spark and Sonic vehicles equipped with MyLink, owners can use Siri in Eyes Free mode to:

• Make voice-activated, hands-free calls to Contacts on their iPhone
• Play songs in their iTunes libraries, and even switch music sources automatically from AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode
• Listen to, and compose and send an iMessage or text message to a phone number or anyone in saved Contacts
• Access Calendar and add appointments
• Minimize distraction even more by keeping the screen of the iPhone from lighting up even when Siri answers simple questions such as game scores or the dates of national holidays

Both the Spark and the Sonic also come with six months of OnStar’s premium Directions and Connections service.

Most smartphone owners can also download the RemoteLink Mobile App, which allows OnStar subscribers to control and manage certain vehicle functions from their phone.

Current 2013 Chevrolet Spark and Sonic owners will be able to upgrade existing MyLink radios for Siri capability beginning in March.

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GM revealed early Spark owners indicate their most important reasons for purchasing a Spark were fuel economy and price to value.

Clearly, people interested by the Spark also like color. GM said 23 percent of Spark owners are choosing Salsa Red, making it the Spark’s most popular exterior color. Jalapeno Green and Denim Blue are the second- and third-most popular Spark colors.

GM also realized fifty-one percent of Sparks are purchased by women, which is a proportion greather than any other Chevrolet vehicle. Meanwhile, nearly 54 percent of Spark purchases are conquest sales – buyers who are new to the brand. More than one in five buyers is coming from an import car brand.

Chevrolet dealers have sold more than 12,000 Sparks since it went on sale in the summer of 2012. Originally launched in 18 markets, the Spark will be available in all 50 states in 2013.

The Spark is rated at an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 38 mpg highway.

The Spark offers more passenger and cargo room than other mini cars, with 225 percent more cargo room than a Scion iQ and 20 percent more than a Fiat 500.

Launched in Korea in 2009 and now available in almost every country in the world, the Spark came to the U.S. market in response to the growing popularity of mini cars among U.S. consumers.

An electric version of the Spark will be the next step in the Spark lineup. The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV will be priced under $25,000.

The post Fuel Consumption, Price And Color Spark Interest In Chevy’s Minicar appeared first on HybridCars.com.

At the event, Chevrolet announced future Sparks and Sonics will pack a “world of infotainment choices” with the addition of streaming audio TuneIn and its global network of 70,000 stations.

Chevrolet demonstrated for the first time TuneIn capability in a 2014 Spark EV at the show.

Enabled by a smart phone app compatible with the standard MyLink Radio on up-level Spark and Sonic models, Chevrolet says TuneIn will give customers all over the world access to global, personalized infotainment controlled through the car radio.

In short, a customer living in Chicago can dial in a talk radio station in Africa and a customer in South Korea can listen to his favorite electronic music station in Europe or jazz station in New Orleans.

MyLink is currently standard on the 2013 Spark LT and Sonic RS and LTZ models; It is available on the 2013 Sonic LS and LT.

MyLink will be standard on the 2014 Spark EV when it goes on sale in summer 2013.

“We listened to customers around the world when we developed MyLink for Spark and Sonic, and we believe TuneIn will be a big hit with those who crave customized connectivity and entertainment,” said Cristi Landy, director, Chevrolet small cars and electric vehicles. “Our Spark and Sonic buyers will have a fantastic solution for tuning in to their favorite radio stations from around the world.”

TuneIn is one of three new smart phone app-based features expected to be available later this year for MyLink-equipped Spark and Sonic models. Others are BringGo, a full-function navigation system; and Siri, Apple’s intelligent assistant (for customers with a compatible iPhone running iOS 6) that allows drivers to get things done just by asking.

Chevrolet did not confirm release dates, but says customers should consult their dealer and check the Chevrolet website for updates on when these features will be available.

Two other embedded apps, Pandora internet radio and Stitcher Smart Radio, were included with MyLink when it debuted in Spark and Sonic.

To access TuneIn through the MyLink Radio, Chevrolet says a customer needs to download the free TuneIn Radio app to a compatible smart phone and connect the phone with MyLink for safe, seamless connectivity to live local, international and Internet radio. Users can search for programming by location, genre, sports team name, station type or call sign.

“TuneIn will add another dimension to Spark and Sonic infotainment choices, and demonstrates the ability to continually expand and update MyLink capabilities with new smart phone apps,” said Landy.

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