Been driving my 2014 spark ev for the last 6 years daily. 80k miles and it’s still a blast to drive- feels like a gocart. I commute 50 miles a day up and down 3000 ft elevation- and it pulls up those Colorado steep highways so smoothly. Best review I’ve seen- every comment right on- looking forward to a winter snow review- can’t get snow chains on those front tires.
I've had a 2016 Spark EV for about a year and a half now. I absolutely love it! I've had catastrophic problems with it tho. Had to replace the battery pack, motor, motor controller, and AC compressor but it was all under warranty! Before the repairs, I was getting about 60 miles per charge. Now I'm getting 85-95 averaging 6.5-7 mi/kwh!! I've gone thru multiple sets of front tires but it's definitely worth the smile it puts on my face and the suprise it puts on others! 😊
I love my 2014 spark ev! To help with traction, I did a square wheel setup with 15x6.5 wheels, and 195 width tires which helped a ton in the turns. My wife and I fight to drive it almost everyday! I got mine used for 6500 bucks, and my power company gave us 800 bucks back (even used with 40k miles!) I love mine dearly. Except for the audio.
I leased this in California for $99 for 39 months in 2015 and got a $3000 rebate from Electric company and CA.. was such a fun little car with all that torque and so manuerable, never one issue in the 39 months of ownership.
it’s not funny. actually there is more ‘standardized’ electric car terminology available nowadays than 8 years ago. Car reviewers today are more informed about what customers care the most in the EV world. He is pointing those out in this review.
I always thought this is what an urban commuter ought to be -- compact, low cost, to encourage more people to switch to EV. Instead of the Volt, Bolt, etc. with higher prices which cannot compete with small cars.
Fun fact about the 2016 models, the gas-powered Spark was redesigned that year but the EV still had this prior-generation body because it was about to be replaced by the Bolt.
I had one of these from 2015 to 2017. I was an awesome little car. What was the most awesome was I was able to lease it for $98 a month with 0 down. What a deal!
Good video. We love our 2016 Chevy Spark EV and use it for all our in town errands. We can get around 80 miles in the warm weather and around 60 in the cold. Ours had the DC fast charge and we found it for $12k in 2020.
Pekirt79, $12k used for a 2016 model bought in 2020 is a much better deal than $28k (or more?) new in 2016. I do know it's not all about the money (everything is not), but these EVs are expensive when they are new. Fwiw, I know that this is also true (new vehicle = expensive vs. used vehicle) for gas powered vehicles but the overall performance and capabilities of EVs versus gas powered vehicles needs to be considered, too. EVs are a great concept. Good luck with your car.
Tommy, thanks. You are a joy to listen to... frank, forthright, highly knowledgable and good humored. Your honesty about the car's shortcomings and your praise for the car's more laudable features were refreshing. I bought a 2014 even before I tuned in to this TH-cam video... as a current owner of a 2014 Spark I appreciate your run-through. It taught me a few things about the car I did not know. Thanks again!
This car is perfect for city driving! Perfect for your kids to drive themselves to school and sports. With 80 miles per charge they won't get far enough to get into trouble.
With all the DC fast chargers around nowadays, and the spark EV's ability to use them, the 80 mile range isn't really a limiting factor for people who want to travel long distances with this vehicle.
This brings back memories. I leased one in early 2014 as a secondary vehicle. It was nice to go to work in. It was quick off the line but really lost steam while flooring it at higher speeds. I think its top speed was somewhere in the 80mph range. You guys did your homework on this I’m surprised you captured the headlight/horn function and ccs option. It actually almost paid for itself during my lease. I got several local county tax rebates; obviously not the federal one. Great review!
The batteries are also LiFePo4 which will allow for nearly twice the number of charge cycles as other Li-ion technologies such as Nickel Manganese Cobalt (Nissan Leaf) or Nickel Cobalt Aluminum (most other EV's). LiFePo4 is a little less energy dense (gravimetrically and volumetrically) but makes up for it by having a longer life and being FAR less susceptible to fire. This one appears to have retained nearly 90% of its original capacity after nearly 8 years which is remarkable considering this is such a small battery (18kWh). I say this because the smaller batteries usually wear out much faster due to needing to be constantly recharged in order to get any usefulness out of them. SIZE MATTERS when it comes to Li-ion battery life. This tiny 70 mile battery probably sees one or two charges everyday where as a larger 250 mile range battery might only need to be charged once a week.
Not for me. I never know how long my day is going to be. At a minimum I drive 90 miles and it can go up to 300 miles. Not everyone is a yuppie that lives in downtown NYC and has no need to drive farther than the nearest Starbucks.
6:20 I've been driving this in a gasoline version and have to say their 1.2 isn't boring at all, it just plays boring as long as you never hit the 4k rpm. :-D From 4k to 7k it is heaps of fun for such a go kart! I love this little thing. :-D
You'd need to wire the rear wheel speed sensors into the front, but yes I had this same idea - unfortunately the traction control nanny cannot be completely defeated
@@erics3596 when you long press the Traction Control button it doesn't disable the Stablitrack and fully disable traction control like on the First Gen Volt?
@@erics3596 aww dang. I wonder if it's mainly to protect the half shafts similar to the weakness of the Volt. Either way, getting some stickier tires would help a little in the fight for traction. I did get some Firehawks for the Volt and while there not quite as good for pure mileage, they are great for traction. Also rather cheap at least at the time.
@@IM0001 I don't know what size the Spark can fit, but I have 15x7 Advanti Storm S1's on my Toyota Echo manual, and lord they are light... they weigh the same as my brake disks. As similar in size as they are (both the Spark and Echo share a very close wheelbase, around the 93" mark), there's still the width and offsets to worry about. Then again, the Echo was stock with 175/65r14;s, I think Sparks were 15's and something like a 185-195, with electrics having a little extra meat (and four wheel disks... not sure he mentions that in the review). My girlfriends mom had a CVT Spark we borrowed to drive from Sacramento to Monterey and back, and it's a very fun platform. Every first gen Spark I've driven has such a quick steering rack, the manual was a "as fast as you can" action to it, and the electrics are a blast for scrambling around even when flooring it at 45mph with traction off. The following generation of Spark was a more sophisticated style overall with more power, but it gets so dulled in every other way. Steering slows, engine response (rev hang and clunkiness for the manuals)... it just wasn't as enjoyable. Hell, a CVT Nissan Versa Note SR is probably going to be more enjoyable with some tire and swaybar changes. Spark EV would definitely be my electric run-about for the city, especially over the Fiat 500e... but then there's the eGolf, which isn't as fun, but holds its own and adds loads more content and civility.
Yep. I bought a used 87 Shelby Charger for my son back in the day it had 146hp and torque was similar, it was a fun quick vehicle also with lots of torque steer and my 2016 Spark EV is just as fun but with more interior room.
We have 2014 Spark gasser we bought new, base model in grape ice color. It has been a reliable car with two recalls for software update but no mechanical issues. It can be a bit noisy inside but I have found this to be determined mostly by how rough the road surface is. We use it mostly for local running but we do take it for long road trips when we want to save on fuel cost. We considered the EV model when we bought this one but the EV was not being sold in our area and we wanted to replace the PT Cruiser that was giving a lot of trouble. I plan to keep it as it has served us well, I did replace the tires with 195's as I didn't really like the original ones when it was time to replace them, these ride better and give a bit more stability. I would buy another one if need be, the local dealer can't keep them on the lot, they go fast!! Too bad they stopped production of the EV model.
For the record, Tommy. The Spark is sold in most countries (USA & Canada included) as a Chevrolet, in South Korea as a GM Daewoo Matiz Creative before renaming itself as a Chevy Spark in 2011, and in Australia as a Holden Barina Spark. Just to clear things up, that's all.
I drive a Suburban LTZ (14mpg average). My commute to work is 14 miles round trip. I'd love to get this guy as my work commuter vehicle. Plug it into the garage at night, have it ready to go in the morning. Save the Suburban for family trips and Home Depot runs. Seems like the perfect "third car" for people with shorter commutes.
The motor torque is high only at low motor rpm. If the motor could maintain this torque at higher rpm, then it would have more horsepower and it would keep accelerating the vehicle fast at higher vehicle speeds, reducing 0-60 time. So, the high motor torque is kind of just a marketing technique to get people interested; what really matters is high _wheel_ torque, and even with a motor of low torque you can still get high wheel torque by increasing the gear ratio. In the spark EV's case, it instead uses a high-torque motor with only a small gear ratio. This does, however, have the benefit of less inertia in the gear train and less gear train friction because the electric motor & gears are spinning more slowly than in other EVs, while still having similar wheel torque to other EVs. On a final note, even though the spark EV doesn't actually have sportscar levels of power despite it's high motor torque rating, it still is faster than most comparable gas powered cars. And it certainly is a big improvement to the gas version of the spark in terms of speed...
The only thing that annoyed me with my 2014 Spark EV was even with the traction control off it would re-engage as soon as ANY wheelspin was detected - 60 miles range was average for me (and yes I am a Denver Metro resident, I "imported" it from Cali during that one year Colorado was offering Refundable Tax rebates on used EVs).
@@leightonmann Good point. I missed that one. I currently have a 2015 i3 with range extender. While it has the same 70 mile range as the spark it will allow me to take longer trips when needed. I think these 5 plus old EVs are great entry level cars.
@@leightonmann I had a 500e for 6 months that my dad got on a lease from CA when they were $99 a month. Loved it. Great commuter. Bought a 2014 500e with sunroof for $6,000 3 years ago and will drive it until my Cybertruck arrives.
@@vr4042 I have an i3s, it’s a blast to drive as I wait for either the Rivian R1T or Cybertruck. I’m thinking the Rivian is going to be out before the Cybertruck. Cybertruck is much cooler though.
I’ve had a 16 Chevy spark EV for about a year and a half now and it is one of my favorite cars I’ve driven! I’m a 6’5” guy, so a lot of my friends and coworkers mock my car, but I have more fun and spend less on gas than they do. It’s an amazing daily driver and I would definitely suggest it if you are considering getting a fun little commuter car.
Tommy - great review! We got a 2015 silver Spark here in Vancouver Canada a year and a half ago. It was on a 3 yr lease in Portland and then languished at a Chevy dealer in Canada for a year. Guess they didn't want to sell a car that needs no service. Our cost was only $14,500 CND after a $3k scrap-it rebate. Absolutely love our Sparky. So great to beat out muscle cars off the line. Besides the torque, we like the cute horn and regenerative breaking. So wonderful to have a quiet car with no gas smell and almost no service costs. Mileage is great since we very rarely get cold weather in Vancouver.
I wasn't seriously considering getting it, but there was a used car lot I pass on my way to work that has one of these for sale. Same colour too. This car would be a great commuter or town runabout.
7.1 mi/kWh shown at 10:22. At 33.7 kWh/gallon of gas, that translates to 7.1*33.7 = 239 MPGe! If you consider 15% loss in charging, that's still 203 MPGe!
It's funny. The battery energy direction screen is what my wife loves. She shows it to all her friends and they get excited. I prefer the binnacle which shows the actual amount and whether it is being use or regenerated.
I have a 2017 gas powered Spark and this thing does exactly what mine doesnt, merge onto the highway and pass people. The CVT tranny in the Spark is great for city driving but you are taking your life in your hands driving it on a highway 😃
Great review! The Spark EV is such a fun little car. I hope they make a next generation version based on the new Ultium battery technology that’s just as fun and inexpensive.
We bought one last December. What a fun car to drive. And, at today's gasoline and electricity prices, it would get the equivalent of 300mpg. I learned a few things about the car. Thank you for the review. Because I bought it used, when I get people poo-pooing my electric car by saying it polutes more, I just look at them and say, "No, actually I saved it from landfill." LOL The car is amazingly FAST and uses very few KWh to charge it.
I actually got this exact one last October, down to the color and model year. It's AMAZING. I got it for $7,250 on Craigslist. The previous owners added some mods, including bigger alloy wheels and low-profile tires, and a sunroof. The bigger tires mean it doesn't break traction AS EASILY. It's still too much torque for the tires to handle of course. With the battery low down, it also handles well. The range isn't fantastic, as mine seems to have degraded more than most. The previous owners may have abused the battery. With the fast charge option though, it charges to 80% in 20 minutes, which usually gives me 50-60 miles of range. I may have to get rid of it soon unfortunately. I call it the Lightning Bug lol
I’ve owned a 2015 Spark EV for six years. It’s a total sleeper. It costs nothing to drive. Now at 40,000 miles, the only money I’ve spent is for front tires, wiper blades and windshield washer fluid. I love the volume control on the steering wheel. I wish my other car had the same. This car looks like a regular Spark, but the driving experience is completely different.
One thing that GM did with this car and also the first generation Bolt* that I find really annoying is they made DC Fast Charging optional instead of standard like virtually every other EV maker. Overall though this was a pretty good deal when new and a fantastic deal on the used market. For a second car or if you routinely drive less than 50 miles a day (like 95% of the population) then this is worth looking into. On the used EV market, if you're looking for a good deal, I would also suggest having a look at other compliance cars such as: - the Fiat 500e (which, sadly, never offered DC Fast charging until the 2021 model, which is not available in the US) - the Volkswagen eGolf - the Kia Soul EV (that's what I have and it's the finest car I have ever owned) - Ford Focus Electric Sometimes you can even find used BMW i3's at a good price, or the first generation Chevy Bolt. Nissan Leafs in good shape can also be found on the cheap (be sure to get battery health information first though). * The 2022 second generation Bolts finally have DV Fast charging as standard. That car is also only $31000 new, with 259 miles of range!
I didn’t watch this review but I spent about a month researching one of these and almost bought one. Be careful with the hype. Watch as many owner videos as you can. The battery is older tech and is known to degrade over time, the range can drop quite a bit with temps so you only get 40-50 miles, the charge times are high even with the level 2, very few have level 2 anyways. This is in no way a Tesla killer or whatever. I still almost bought one but please don’t buy into TH-cam hype.
My friend has one of these. It has probably the worst blind spots of any vehicle I've ever driven. The side mirrors are useless. Aside from that, it's pretty zippy and fun to drive.
I'm glad you mentioned that. I bought a 2015 Chevy spark EV and already noticed that. Wearing glasses makes it worse because you start seeing double from trying to see if a car is in your blind space.
The fires on the bolt EV are in battery packs made by LG late 2018. Sold is 2019 cars. Besides that Chevy and LG have actually had a pretty solid reputation on electric vehicles. And hybrids. The volt before it has been pretty reliable.
@@mychevysparkevdidntcatchfi1489 A123 & Early LG Chem batteries were rock solid reliable in all use cases even outside of cars. Something wrong happened with late 1st gen Bolt and Hyundai cars. Wierd the failures came later.
@@mychevysparkevdidntcatchfi1489 The spark does not charge faster than any tesla. TimeWise it's possible because the battery is small. But the actual charge rate is not faster. The 2014 Sparks battery was made by A123 Systems. 2015 forward was made by LG chem. Same people that make the battery for the Bolt EV. The cells themselves I believe were made in Korea the battery assembled in the US. The fires in the bolt EV look to be caused by manufacturing defect in the cells. So it's probably LG Chem responsibility not so much GM. But ultimately the name on the car puts the responsibility in Chevy's lap as to what to do about it. The spark is a great little EV for short range use.
Prius has sealed battery like Nissan Leaf so the battery degrades lot quicker. SparkEV should last much longer and has 8 year 100K miles warranty. After that, it could be VERY expensive since they don't make them since 2016.
Very cool car, I can see using it as a grocery getter and a way to embarrass the odd loser looking for a drag race. But what are the odds I’m actually going to find a 2014 Chevy Spark in my local market? Nice job Tommy, you’re getting pretty good at this. Ask your dad for a raise.
Reminds me of our old Renault zoe 24kw lovely little car and quite pretty. but not as fast as Spark! We have ALL ELETRIC 42kw BMW i3s it rwd and FUN 🌍💚😀
I wonder if anyone has compared a 14 to 15/16? Probably no one is asking but curious, as someone with a 16, if we’d might actually see a difference with 0-60, quarter mile, or weight balance.
Anyone ever driven a Mercedes B250 Electric? I call it the Mersla Benz, because its a Mercedes Benz with a little Tesla inside - being the entire drivetrain and battery is Tesla. I don't think Mercedes really wanted to sell this car, because I don't think it had an artificial limiter on giving you torque from zero because the think was nearly impossible to get off the line quickly without it squealing the tires to death. As a result it was very difficult to drive smoothly around town and was constantly jerking you around even when you were trying to be tame on the accelerator. If only it was RWD and you put decent tires on it, it would be one hell of a sleeper.
B250 doesn't have DC fast charge like SparkEV, so it's pretty much useless beyond single charge. SparkEV can charge 10% to 80% in about 15 minutes. Someone drove SparkEV 650 miles in one day using many fast charge stops.
Avoiding Chevy EV/s due to series of fire warnings on Bolt, including corporate issued advice not to charge indoors. Only fix so far is to de-energize top charge/ reduce range via software. No bueno, GM. Get your shiz together.
Same goes for Hyundai and the Kona EV I believe they're using the same LG chem battery packs but they're having the exact same issues... Hyundai just fixed the problem while GM's doing everything they can to avoid spending money to fix anything.
@@ZoomZoom870atGmail SparkEV did not catch fire even after 7 years on the road and DC fast charging rate twice as fast as any Tesla. GM did right with SparkEV, but really screwed up with Bolt.
Bro, that was a fantastic, very info packed review, loved it! Ive heard of those little sparks and the 400ftlbs but I didnt know it was only 2014 that had it..I wish you had done ur 0-60 run at 100% charge instead of 50%..I believe these may dip into the high 6's under ideal grip and battery conditions...Yeah 400ftlb is a boatload in such a tiny package! The ultimate sleeper car! surprise alot of people at the stoplights! The used prices for these is interesting..The car is Not a looker thats for sure and at 7 to 8k used, that opens up the alternative of the chevy volt which looks like sex on wheels compared to this and has interior luxury on a vastly different level..ive driven those and they are sweet! 295ftlbs in the volt and a heavier chassis and ur at 8.5 secs 0-60.. the 2017 s doit it in the low 7's for some reason. the volt is sexier, more luxurious, tons more tech, no range anxiety issues and ive seen them as low as 5,995 for 2013 on up.... just a thought... my gf would Love a volt and has it on her wish list
I charge my 2017 Bolt on 110v. You are dead on about 70 miles being plenty of range for 99% of driving. Maybe once a week I'll drive over 50 miles in a day. Hence, 110v slow charging is perfectly suitable for 99% of most people's daily needs. Once in a blue moon will I use 220V level 2. Hidden feature, and maybe it's the same for the Spark, the OEM stock Bolt charger will charge at 220-250V @ 12amps (2.6kw-3kw) with a cheap NEMA adapter.
People will spend $10k on a motorcycle to drive it 1,000 miles a year. Having a all-weather, safer than a motorcycle, fun to drive commuter could be appealing in a multi-vehicle household. They just need to make it more appealing like a Miata.
I've been looking into an ev car for short commuting. I have an e-bike and love it. But i live in the snowy Midwest. Way too much torque for snow. Really cool though
Torque steer? Why would it have that? Torque steer is usually because you have a transaxle pushed to one side of the car and that gives unequal length driveshafts. Do they have that with the electric motors or do they have one motor per wheel? Of course now the elephant in the room- when the batteries die in a couple of years how much does it cost to replace them?
It's a shame that GM has abandoned this car. You can't get a battery replacement through them even if you're still under warranty, they're just buying back the remaining cars now and destroying them. I really wish the aftermarket industry could fill the gap and offer replacement batteries, but the economy of scale apparently isn't there to make it worth it.
Had the Citation, Berretta and Spark EV. Absolutely love all three. Currently have the 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV. It likes to smoke Ford Mustangs GT and Corvettes off the line. You won't beat them in the quarter but who cares. Car costs about $.02/mi to drive if you have to charge at home. I charge at work (free) or local Chevrolet dealer (free). Had car about 2 years and would definitely buy again if I had to.
Chevy really missed a chance to make a "hot" version with AWD, imagine how fun a hot hatch with instant torque and all wheel burnouts off the line would be!
Sounds like Chevy should bring back the EV SPARK I know they have the EV BOLT. SUV. But I think having small option is good too. Every car company should have more than one EV ... Electric Vehicle option. I never even heard of the EV SPARK before this year. Apparently they only offered it on the West coast. It's a shame
Why would anyone buy any car other than a Tesla? It just doesn't make sense. They are the greatest cars ever made. Every other company should just quit making cars. Tesla's are the only EV option. They are superior in every way. Elon is the greatest human being that has ever lived. We should rename Earth to Planet Elon so we will have a constant reminder of how insanely, mind blowing, 10x exponentially incredible Tesla is.
@@kratosdisciple4637 SparkEV short and easy to park and inconspicuous, Tesla looks fancy and attract thieves who scratch the car and break the window. Used Tesla = $35K, used SparkEV = $7K. Tesla charge rate = 1.5C to 80%, SparkEV charge rate = 3C to 80% (15 min to 80%).
Been driving my 2014 spark ev for the last 6 years daily. 80k miles and it’s still a blast to drive- feels like a gocart. I commute 50 miles a day up and down 3000 ft elevation- and it pulls up those Colorado steep highways so smoothly. Best review I’ve seen- every comment right on- looking forward to a winter snow review- can’t get snow chains on those front tires.
Amazing!
do you use studded tires in the winter?
Have you changed your agm battery? How many miles do you get per charge?
@@kirksway1 - just Michelin x ice snows without studs. Run them year round. Replace fronts every 2 years- rears last 4.
@@arcanelive23 - depends on season. 50 miles in winter with some heat running and 65 in summer without heat on.
I've had a 2016 Spark EV for about a year and a half now. I absolutely love it! I've had catastrophic problems with it tho. Had to replace the battery pack, motor, motor controller, and AC compressor but it was all under warranty! Before the repairs, I was getting about 60 miles per charge. Now I'm getting 85-95 averaging 6.5-7 mi/kwh!! I've gone thru multiple sets of front tires but it's definitely worth the smile it puts on my face and the suprise it puts on others! 😊
My 2016 has no problems. I hope my battery goes out so I can get a new one. Lol
I love my 2014 spark ev! To help with traction, I did a square wheel setup with 15x6.5 wheels, and 195 width tires which helped a ton in the turns. My wife and I fight to drive it almost everyday! I got mine used for 6500 bucks, and my power company gave us 800 bucks back (even used with 40k miles!)
I love mine dearly. Except for the audio.
Google Crutchfield.
I leased this in California for $99 for 39 months in 2015 and got a $3000 rebate from Electric company and CA.. was such a fun little car with all that torque and so manuerable, never one issue in the 39 months of ownership.
I did exact same thing but paid 200 a month lease. U did great!
Is it funny that TFL puts one of it's most honest and well put together reviews for a 8 year old car.
it’s not funny. actually there is more ‘standardized’ electric car terminology available nowadays than 8 years ago. Car reviewers today are more informed about what customers care the most in the EV world. He is pointing those out in this review.
It's easier to out together an honest detailed review on an older car you actually owned. Rather than a new car you don't own and only have for 1 week
@w4csc "Why can't EVers see past the end of the loan?"
Do you not realize how stupid that sounds?
@w4csc just go to your neighborhood Rural King and get some golf cart batteries. Done!😁
I always thought this is what an urban commuter ought to be -- compact, low cost, to encourage more people to switch to EV. Instead of the Volt, Bolt, etc. with higher prices which cannot compete with small cars.
Fun fact about the 2016 models, the gas-powered Spark was redesigned that year but the EV still had this prior-generation body because it was about to be replaced by the Bolt.
I had one of these from 2015 to 2017. I was an awesome little car. What was the most awesome was I was able to lease it for $98 a month with 0 down. What a deal!
Good video. We love our 2016 Chevy Spark EV and use it for all our in town errands. We can get around 80 miles in the warm weather and around 60 in the cold. Ours had the DC fast charge and we found it for $12k in 2020.
Pekirt79, $12k used for a 2016 model bought in 2020 is a much better deal than $28k (or more?) new in 2016. I do know it's not all about the money (everything is not), but these EVs are expensive when they are new.
Fwiw, I know that this is also true (new vehicle = expensive vs. used vehicle) for gas powered vehicles but the overall performance and capabilities of EVs versus gas powered vehicles needs to be considered, too.
EVs are a great concept. Good luck with your car.
Tommy, thanks. You are a joy to listen to... frank, forthright, highly knowledgable and good humored. Your honesty about the car's shortcomings and your praise for the car's more laudable features were refreshing. I bought a 2014 even before I tuned in to this TH-cam video... as a current owner of a 2014 Spark I appreciate your run-through. It taught me a few things about the car I did not know. Thanks again!
I love chevy spark
🎉my car ls called sparky
This car is perfect for city driving! Perfect for your kids to drive themselves to school and sports. With 80 miles per charge they won't get far enough to get into trouble.
With all the DC fast chargers around nowadays, and the spark EV's ability to use them, the 80 mile range isn't really a limiting factor for people who want to travel long distances with this vehicle.
This brings back memories. I leased one in early 2014 as a secondary vehicle. It was nice to go to work in. It was quick off the line but really lost steam while flooring it at higher speeds. I think its top speed was somewhere in the 80mph range. You guys did your homework on this I’m surprised you captured the headlight/horn function and ccs option. It actually almost paid for itself during my lease. I got several local county tax rebates; obviously not the federal one. Great review!
I've been looking at Chevy sonics. The spark is Compact compact but still fire
But the Sonic is not an EV, is it?
Gotta learn your classes, buddy.
Impala: Fullsize
Malibu: Midsize
Cruze: Compact
Sonic: Subcompact
Spark: City car/microcar
Nailed it about range not being that big a deal. For 99% of trips, even 70 miles is plenty. And these small batteries charge back to 100 so fast.
th-cam.com/video/UGGRMPrzLNo/w-d-xo.html
The batteries are also LiFePo4 which will allow for nearly twice the number of charge cycles as other Li-ion technologies such as Nickel Manganese Cobalt (Nissan Leaf) or Nickel Cobalt Aluminum (most other EV's). LiFePo4 is a little less energy dense (gravimetrically and volumetrically) but makes up for it by having a longer life and being FAR less susceptible to fire. This one appears to have retained nearly 90% of its original capacity after nearly 8 years which is remarkable considering this is such a small battery (18kWh). I say this because the smaller batteries usually wear out much faster due to needing to be constantly recharged in order to get any usefulness out of them. SIZE MATTERS when it comes to Li-ion battery life. This tiny 70 mile battery probably sees one or two charges everyday where as a larger 250 mile range battery might only need to be charged once a week.
Not for me. I never know how long my day is going to be. At a minimum I drive 90 miles and it can go up to 300 miles. Not everyone is a yuppie that lives in downtown NYC and has no need to drive farther than the nearest Starbucks.
@@nodak81 somehow, the average American drives less than 30 miles a day.
@@valleyofiron125 I love "Sparky"
6:20 I've been driving this in a gasoline version and have to say their 1.2 isn't boring at all, it just plays boring as long as you never hit the 4k rpm. :-D From 4k to 7k it is heaps of fun for such a go kart! I love this little thing. :-D
4:53 so a set of drag radials might result in a 6 second 0 to 60 time? sounds like a good test to me. lol
You'd need to wire the rear wheel speed sensors into the front, but yes I had this same idea - unfortunately the traction control nanny cannot be completely defeated
@@erics3596 when you long press the Traction Control button it doesn't disable the Stablitrack and fully disable traction control like on the First Gen Volt?
@@IM0001 it claims to, but as SOON as any wheel spin is detected it kicks back in
@@erics3596 aww dang. I wonder if it's mainly to protect the half shafts similar to the weakness of the Volt.
Either way, getting some stickier tires would help a little in the fight for traction.
I did get some Firehawks for the Volt and while there not quite as good for pure mileage, they are great for traction. Also rather cheap at least at the time.
@@IM0001 I don't know what size the Spark can fit, but I have 15x7 Advanti Storm S1's on my Toyota Echo manual, and lord they are light... they weigh the same as my brake disks. As similar in size as they are (both the Spark and Echo share a very close wheelbase, around the 93" mark), there's still the width and offsets to worry about. Then again, the Echo was stock with 175/65r14;s, I think Sparks were 15's and something like a 185-195, with electrics having a little extra meat (and four wheel disks... not sure he mentions that in the review).
My girlfriends mom had a CVT Spark we borrowed to drive from Sacramento to Monterey and back, and it's a very fun platform. Every first gen Spark I've driven has such a quick steering rack, the manual was a "as fast as you can" action to it, and the electrics are a blast for scrambling around even when flooring it at 45mph with traction off. The following generation of Spark was a more sophisticated style overall with more power, but it gets so dulled in every other way. Steering slows, engine response (rev hang and clunkiness for the manuals)... it just wasn't as enjoyable. Hell, a CVT Nissan Versa Note SR is probably going to be more enjoyable with some tire and swaybar changes.
Spark EV would definitely be my electric run-about for the city, especially over the Fiat 500e... but then there's the eGolf, which isn't as fun, but holds its own and adds loads more content and civility.
Naming an electric car "Spark", is like naming a gas powered car, "Explosion".
Lol
They should have used a brushed DC motor, then there would have been sparks.
The gas powered car is actually called the spark lol
or "Boom"
I'd drive a car called the Explosion.
In the eighties, small cars with good performance/good torque like this one were sometimes called "pocket rockets," cars like the Volkswagen GTI.
Yep. I bought a used 87 Shelby Charger for my son back in the day it had 146hp and torque was similar, it was a fun quick vehicle also with lots of torque steer and my 2016 Spark EV is just as fun but with more interior room.
We have 2014 Spark gasser we bought new, base model in grape ice color. It has been a reliable car with two recalls for software update but no mechanical issues. It can be a bit noisy inside but I have found this to be determined mostly by how rough the road surface is. We use it mostly for local running but we do take it for long road trips when we want to save on fuel cost. We considered the EV model when we bought this one but the EV was not being sold in our area and we wanted to replace the PT Cruiser that was giving a lot of trouble. I plan to keep it as it has served us well, I did replace the tires with 195's as I didn't really like the original ones when it was time to replace them, these ride better and give a bit more stability. I would buy another one if need be, the local dealer can't keep them on the lot, they go fast!! Too bad they stopped production of the EV model.
For the record, Tommy. The Spark is sold in most countries (USA & Canada included) as a Chevrolet, in South Korea as a GM Daewoo Matiz Creative before renaming itself as a Chevy Spark in 2011, and in Australia as a Holden Barina Spark.
Just to clear things up, that's all.
I drive a Suburban LTZ (14mpg average). My commute to work is 14 miles round trip. I'd love to get this guy as my work commuter vehicle. Plug it into the garage at night, have it ready to go in the morning. Save the Suburban for family trips and Home Depot runs. Seems like the perfect "third car" for people with shorter commutes.
Me when Tommy said the torque specs: 😯
Me after seeing him do the 0-60: 😐
The motor torque is high only at low motor rpm. If the motor could maintain this torque at higher rpm, then it would have more horsepower and it would keep accelerating the vehicle fast at higher vehicle speeds, reducing 0-60 time. So, the high motor torque is kind of just a marketing technique to get people interested; what really matters is high _wheel_ torque, and even with a motor of low torque you can still get high wheel torque by increasing the gear ratio.
In the spark EV's case, it instead uses a high-torque motor with only a small gear ratio. This does, however, have the benefit of less inertia in the gear train and less gear train friction because the electric motor & gears are spinning more slowly than in other EVs, while still having similar wheel torque to other EVs.
On a final note, even though the spark EV doesn't actually have sportscar levels of power despite it's high motor torque rating, it still is faster than most comparable gas powered cars. And it certainly is a big improvement to the gas version of the spark in terms of speed...
2015 model has less torque and a faster 0-60 because they changed the drive ratio.
Less torque in 2015 I think 320ish 365?
battery no longer supported by Chevy. There is no aftermarket battery. It is a brick as soon as battery dies.
The only thing that annoyed me with my 2014 Spark EV was even with the traction control off it would re-engage as soon as ANY wheelspin was detected - 60 miles range was average for me (and yes I am a Denver Metro resident, I "imported" it from Cali during that one year Colorado was offering Refundable Tax rebates on used EVs).
I would love to see a comparison video between the spark, i3 and the new mini.
And the Fiat 500e. I'm looking at the Mini if and when my 500e needs replacement.
@@leightonmann Good point. I missed that one. I currently have a 2015 i3 with range extender. While it has the same 70 mile range as the spark it will allow me to take longer trips when needed. I think these 5 plus old EVs are great entry level cars.
@@leightonmann I had a 500e for 6 months that my dad got on a lease from CA when they were $99 a month. Loved it. Great commuter. Bought a 2014 500e with sunroof for $6,000 3 years ago and will drive it until my Cybertruck arrives.
@@vr4042 I have an i3s, it’s a blast to drive as I wait for either the Rivian R1T or Cybertruck. I’m thinking the Rivian is going to be out before the Cybertruck. Cybertruck is much cooler though.
In February of this year, I bought a 2015 i3 after first wanting a spark. The i3 is much better.
I’ve had a 16 Chevy spark EV for about a year and a half now and it is one of my favorite cars I’ve driven! I’m a 6’5” guy, so a lot of my friends and coworkers mock my car, but I have more fun and spend less on gas than they do. It’s an amazing daily driver and I would definitely suggest it if you are considering getting a fun little commuter car.
Thats not a trunk, thats a glove box that extends into the back seat.
🤣
The type of people who buy that kind of car don’t care about interior material quality
Yeah cuz it isnt the 50's where we have to have wool blankets and other atrocious nonsense
Tommy - great review! We got a 2015 silver Spark here in Vancouver Canada a year and a half ago. It was on a 3 yr lease in Portland and then languished at a Chevy dealer in Canada for a year. Guess they didn't want to sell a car that needs no service. Our cost was only $14,500 CND after a $3k scrap-it rebate. Absolutely love our Sparky. So great to beat out muscle cars off the line. Besides the torque, we like the cute horn and regenerative breaking. So wonderful to have a quiet car with no gas smell and almost no service costs. Mileage is great since we very rarely get cold weather in Vancouver.
*braking*, oops
I wasn't seriously considering getting it, but there was a used car lot I pass on my way to work that has one of these for sale. Same colour too. This car would be a great commuter or town runabout.
I think you mean exacerbated not exasperated. 😉
Great review, Tomas! Thank you!
7.1 mi/kWh shown at 10:22. At 33.7 kWh/gallon of gas, that translates to 7.1*33.7 = 239 MPGe! If you consider 15% loss in charging, that's still 203 MPGe!
Might be a cheap interior but it seems to have held up well. And isn’t the icon with battery energy direction to show regeneration
It's funny. The battery energy direction screen is what my wife loves. She shows it to all her friends and they get excited. I prefer the binnacle which shows the actual amount and whether it is being use or regenerated.
great old vehicle review! Spark is still a great EV if all you need is just local city car.
I have a 2017 gas powered Spark and this thing does exactly what mine doesnt, merge onto the highway and pass people. The CVT tranny in the Spark is great for city driving but you are taking your life in your hands driving it on a highway 😃
Great review! The Spark EV is such a fun little car. I hope they make a next generation version based on the new Ultium battery technology that’s just as fun and inexpensive.
I absolutely love the Chevy Spark. I rented the vehicle about a month ago and took it on the highway and I was amazed.
We bought one last December. What a fun car to drive. And, at today's gasoline and electricity prices, it would get the equivalent of 300mpg.
I learned a few things about the car. Thank you for the review.
Because I bought it used, when I get people poo-pooing my electric car by saying it polutes more, I just look at them and say, "No, actually I saved it from landfill." LOL
The car is amazingly FAST and uses very few KWh to charge it.
I love this honest review. We need more of these on the internet.
Your can add CCS to your car in a shop in Quebec with new original GM parts. It cost like $2000 Canadian
I actually got this exact one last October, down to the color and model year. It's AMAZING. I got it for $7,250 on Craigslist. The previous owners added some mods, including bigger alloy wheels and low-profile tires, and a sunroof. The bigger tires mean it doesn't break traction AS EASILY. It's still too much torque for the tires to handle of course. With the battery low down, it also handles well.
The range isn't fantastic, as mine seems to have degraded more than most. The previous owners may have abused the battery. With the fast charge option though, it charges to 80% in 20 minutes, which usually gives me 50-60 miles of range. I may have to get rid of it soon unfortunately.
I call it the Lightning Bug lol
I’ve owned a 2015 Spark EV for six years. It’s a total sleeper. It costs nothing to drive. Now at 40,000 miles, the only money I’ve spent is for front tires, wiper blades and windshield washer fluid. I love the volume control on the steering wheel. I wish my other car had the same. This car looks like a regular Spark, but the driving experience is completely different.
One thing that GM did with this car and also the first generation Bolt* that I find really annoying is they made DC Fast Charging optional instead of standard like virtually every other EV maker. Overall though this was a pretty good deal when new and a fantastic deal on the used market. For a second car or if you routinely drive less than 50 miles a day (like 95% of the population) then this is worth looking into. On the used EV market, if you're looking for a good deal, I would also suggest having a look at other compliance cars such as:
- the Fiat 500e (which, sadly, never offered DC Fast charging until the 2021 model, which is not available in the US)
- the Volkswagen eGolf
- the Kia Soul EV (that's what I have and it's the finest car I have ever owned)
- Ford Focus Electric
Sometimes you can even find used BMW i3's at a good price, or the first generation Chevy Bolt. Nissan Leafs in good shape can also be found on the cheap (be sure to get battery health information first though).
* The 2022 second generation Bolts finally have DV Fast charging as standard. That car is also only $31000 new, with 259 miles of range!
I didn’t watch this review but I spent about a month researching one of these and almost bought one. Be careful with the hype. Watch as many owner videos as you can. The battery is older tech and is known to degrade over time, the range can drop quite a bit with temps so you only get 40-50 miles, the charge times are high even with the level 2, very few have level 2 anyways. This is in no way a Tesla killer or whatever. I still almost bought one but please don’t buy into TH-cam hype.
It's not just TH-cam hype. Look on forums everywhere and you will see that almost all spark EV owners are more than satisfied with their car.
I still get 80 miles on mine with 60k, battery has hardly degraded. And the only thing I've ever replaced is the bulb for the dome light.
Finally! So glad you got your hands on one of these.
Can you actually replace the battery on a 14? If the battery maker went belly up how would you replace it if it goes out. 🤔
It was made in South Korea.
The domestic type in Korea is 143.HP torque 57.5 kgm.
Mana power has decreased due to U.S. export format.
My friend has one of these. It has probably the worst blind spots of any vehicle I've ever driven. The side mirrors are useless. Aside from that, it's pretty zippy and fun to drive.
I'm glad you mentioned that. I bought a 2015 Chevy spark EV and already noticed that. Wearing glasses makes it worse because you start seeing double from trying to see if a car is in your blind space.
I just got a 2015 Chevy spark ❤️ only 7000 and it suites me so well. Beautiful car but it is the regular gas kind :0
I have a 2019 and I love my car
in europe we have dacia spring, which fits similar niche (in china it was available since a couple of years i think under renault brand)
Who wants to buy the Chevy Spark Ev when the battery can cost up to 15k and GM stopped offering replacements?
i leased a 2015 with a bit less torque. man it was fun to blow the doors off hotrods! Loved mine and later bought a used Bolt
dear Mary B could we have option to go 120 mph? Let us disable the high speed nanny? What could go wrong?
I have one for sale in Florida, 2015 Spark EV with DC Fast charge $7500 55k miles.
I want one now
It doesn't look like a doorstop. It looks good, well designed.
An excellent little car for short local journeys. Good little vlog Tommy 😊👍
The best part is it isn’t really a crappy Chevy. Probably a really decent vehicle.
How much do battery replacements on these cost? If buying a 7-8 year old car, when the time comes will it cost more that the car itself?
Can i change the low speed tone to the laugh peter griffin has when he's laughing under his breath?
hueuheuheuheuheuheuheuheuheuheuheuhe
I can see many interior pieces that were updated for the Bolt.
Don’t forget to replace the stock tires with performance tires. You will lose some range but it’s so much more fun and safet
I had this car was amazing still miss it
I've owned three gasoline Sparks and I love them.
Appreciate your approach to reviewing vehicles!
I like an interior with hard plastics... It's honest and usually pretty durable.
Nice video, Tommy. Glad to see you guys using lapel mics. Wind noise, begone!
Everyone knows Chevy has this EV thing perfected🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The fires on the bolt EV are in battery packs made by LG late 2018.
Sold is 2019 cars.
Besides that Chevy and LG have actually had a pretty solid reputation on electric vehicles. And hybrids. The volt before it has been pretty reliable.
Was that a sick joke about the fires?
SparkEV did not catch fire even after 7 years and fast charge rate quicker than any Tesla. GM did right with SparkEV then screwed up with Bolt.
@@mychevysparkevdidntcatchfi1489 A123 & Early LG Chem batteries were rock solid reliable in all use cases even outside of cars. Something wrong happened with late 1st gen Bolt and Hyundai cars. Wierd the failures came later.
@@mychevysparkevdidntcatchfi1489
The spark does not charge faster than any tesla. TimeWise it's possible because the battery is small. But the actual charge rate is not faster.
The 2014 Sparks battery was made by A123 Systems. 2015 forward was made by LG chem. Same people that make the battery for the Bolt EV. The cells themselves I believe were made in Korea the battery assembled in the US.
The fires in the bolt EV look to be caused by manufacturing defect in the cells. So it's probably LG Chem responsibility not so much GM. But ultimately the name on the car puts the responsibility in Chevy's lap as to what to do about it.
The spark is a great little EV for short range use.
I love my Spark!
After owning 2 prius' the only question that matters is: how much does it cost to replace the battery
I'm sure you meant to say 'Monet'
Prius has sealed battery like Nissan Leaf so the battery degrades lot quicker. SparkEV should last much longer and has 8 year 100K miles warranty. After that, it could be VERY expensive since they don't make them since 2016.
This thing is such a fun sleeper vehicle. Beat everyone off the line. 🤣
Very cool car, I can see using it as a grocery getter and a way to embarrass the odd loser looking for a drag race. But what are the odds I’m actually going to find a 2014 Chevy Spark in my local market? Nice job Tommy, you’re getting pretty good at this. Ask your dad for a raise.
Reminds me of our old Renault zoe 24kw lovely little car and quite pretty. but not as fast as Spark! We have ALL ELETRIC 42kw BMW i3s it rwd and FUN 🌍💚😀
I wonder if anyone has compared a 14 to 15/16? Probably no one is asking but curious, as someone with a 16, if we’d might actually see a difference with 0-60, quarter mile, or weight balance.
Anyone ever driven a Mercedes B250 Electric? I call it the Mersla Benz, because its a Mercedes Benz with a little Tesla inside - being the entire drivetrain and battery is Tesla. I don't think Mercedes really wanted to sell this car, because I don't think it had an artificial limiter on giving you torque from zero because the think was nearly impossible to get off the line quickly without it squealing the tires to death. As a result it was very difficult to drive smoothly around town and was constantly jerking you around even when you were trying to be tame on the accelerator. If only it was RWD and you put decent tires on it, it would be one hell of a sleeper.
I drove it! Wanted to buy as our city car / grocery getter. The dealbreaker was absence of power liftgate and so-so looks. Great car otherwise.
B250 doesn't have DC fast charge like SparkEV, so it's pretty much useless beyond single charge. SparkEV can charge 10% to 80% in about 15 minutes. Someone drove SparkEV 650 miles in one day using many fast charge stops.
Avoiding Chevy EV/s due to series of fire warnings on Bolt, including corporate issued advice not to charge indoors. Only fix so far is to de-energize top charge/ reduce range via software. No bueno, GM. Get your shiz together.
Same goes for Hyundai and the Kona EV I believe they're using the same LG chem battery packs but they're having the exact same issues... Hyundai just fixed the problem while GM's doing everything they can to avoid spending money to fix anything.
@@ZoomZoom870atGmail SparkEV did not catch fire even after 7 years on the road and DC fast charging rate twice as fast as any Tesla. GM did right with SparkEV, but really screwed up with Bolt.
Bolts, yes. Have yet to see any on the Sparks. Would be interested to see the reports on those if you have them.
Bro, that was a fantastic, very info packed review, loved it! Ive heard of those little sparks and the 400ftlbs but I didnt know it was only 2014 that had it..I wish you had done ur 0-60 run at 100% charge instead of 50%..I believe these may dip into the high 6's under ideal grip and battery conditions...Yeah 400ftlb is a boatload in such a tiny package! The ultimate sleeper car! surprise alot of people at the stoplights! The used prices for these is interesting..The car is Not a looker thats for sure and at 7 to 8k used, that opens up the alternative of the chevy volt which looks like sex on wheels compared to this and has interior luxury on a vastly different level..ive driven those and they are sweet! 295ftlbs in the volt and a heavier chassis and ur at 8.5 secs 0-60.. the 2017 s doit it in the low 7's for some reason.
the volt is sexier, more luxurious, tons more tech, no range anxiety issues and ive seen them as low as 5,995 for 2013 on up.... just a thought... my gf would Love a volt and has it on her wish list
I charge my 2017 Bolt on 110v. You are dead on about 70 miles being plenty of range for 99% of driving. Maybe once a week I'll drive over 50 miles in a day. Hence, 110v slow charging is perfectly suitable for 99% of most people's daily needs. Once in a blue moon will I use 220V level 2.
Hidden feature, and maybe it's the same for the Spark, the OEM stock Bolt charger will charge at 220-250V @ 12amps (2.6kw-3kw) with a cheap NEMA adapter.
People will spend $10k on a motorcycle to drive it 1,000 miles a year. Having a all-weather, safer than a motorcycle, fun to drive commuter could be appealing in a multi-vehicle household. They just need to make it more appealing like a Miata.
I've been looking into an ev car for short commuting. I have an e-bike and love it. But i live in the snowy Midwest. Way too much torque for snow. Really cool though
Do you need a license to drive and how does it handle in snow 7 feet
Double the size of the battery and you have world beater.
Torque steer? Why would it have that? Torque steer is usually because you have a transaxle pushed to one side of the car and that gives unequal length driveshafts. Do they have that with the electric motors or do they have one motor per wheel?
Of course now the elephant in the room- when the batteries die in a couple of years how much does it cost to replace them?
It's a shame that GM has abandoned this car. You can't get a battery replacement through them even if you're still under warranty, they're just buying back the remaining cars now and destroying them. I really wish the aftermarket industry could fill the gap and offer replacement batteries, but the economy of scale apparently isn't there to make it worth it.
'Beat' design + 'Spark' name = EV spark
Looks like a fun toy, but I'd have to research the fire story. Excluding that, very nice review, Tommy.
Anything GM "threw together in record time" will be a disaster. Vega, Chevette, Citation need I say more ?!
These are old now and still have good customer satisfaction comments if you read about them online. My mother owns one too and she loves hers.
Don't forget the Corsica.
Had the Citation, Berretta and Spark EV. Absolutely love all three. Currently have the 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV. It likes to smoke Ford Mustangs GT and Corvettes off the line. You won't beat them in the quarter but who cares.
Car costs about $.02/mi to drive if you have to charge at home. I charge at work (free) or local Chevrolet dealer (free). Had car about 2 years and would definitely buy again if I had to.
used lithium batteries are 200-300/kwhr so it'll always hold some value!
It would make a good golf cart!😂
Chevy really missed a chance to make a "hot" version with AWD, imagine how fun a hot hatch with instant torque and all wheel burnouts off the line would be!
Well the reason you get this car from carvana is for their 5 year warranty in case that battery pack calls it quits
Now I’m torn between this & a new mini ev. I’m leaning towards this 😊
As long as you drive less than 50 miles a day...
Sounds like Chevy should bring back the EV SPARK
I know they have the EV BOLT. SUV.
But I think having small option is good too.
Every car company should have more than one EV ... Electric Vehicle option.
I never even heard of the EV SPARK before this year.
Apparently they only offered it on the West coast.
It's a shame
Is that the master Tesla bater ?
Hey! Use our Amsoil coolant brother! I am a small youtuber/Amsoil dealer! I love my 2013 Spark!
I would happily buy this over any damn Tesla.
I have one for sale in Florida, $7500
Very nice car
USA: nasty plastic door materials
Rest of the world: What a luxury!
hi-way that dirt road? i whana see the secondary roads in America LOL.
I'd like to own one of these.
A reminder of how much vision Tesla had with Super Chargers, safety ratings, performance, range, styling, multiple models, full self driving.
Why would anyone buy any car other than a Tesla? It just doesn't make sense. They are the greatest cars ever made. Every other company should just quit making cars. Tesla's are the only EV option. They are superior in every way. Elon is the greatest human being that has ever lived. We should rename Earth to Planet Elon so we will have a constant reminder of how insanely, mind blowing, 10x exponentially incredible Tesla is.
@@kratosdisciple4637 SparkEV short and easy to park and inconspicuous, Tesla looks fancy and attract thieves who scratch the car and break the window. Used Tesla = $35K, used SparkEV = $7K. Tesla charge rate = 1.5C to 80%, SparkEV charge rate = 3C to 80% (15 min to 80%).