Don’t get me wrong: I love the idea of small cars. I have a blast driving them, and I adore the go-anywhere-fit-anywhere mentality you get when behind the wheel. Literally “zipping” around town is tons of fun, be it with a smart fortwo, Scion iQ or even a MINI Cooper. They’re all a riot.
What’s not a riot is the lack of oomph behind the go-pedal and/or the hefty initial price at the dealer but many of us put up with it for the diminutive gas bills.
Small cars are meant to be economical in every sense of the word. I think the base Nissan Micra may be the only small car currently on the market that checks all the necessary boxes and fits that economical, small-car box to a tee.
So when a company like Chevrolet (and a few others have done this as well) removes the gas engine from their microcar/ecobox and slaps in a few batteries for full EV power, I can’t help but offer up a massive thumbs up for the effort.
If you’ll all recall, I wasn’t 100% sold on the gas-powered Chevrolet Spark (despite it’s sunny disposition and ochre colour). However, my brief encounter with the Spark EV has changed my opinion on the mini-car, and here’s why.
The Spark makes perfect sense as an EV
That’s right, it really and truly does. Here’s a car I really didn’t take a liking to in gas-guzzling guise, and mostly because it just felt too cheap for the price and was a snooze to drive.
However, in EV get-up, the Spark comes to life. At the risk of using every pun and play on words available in this situation: The Spark EV is electrifying and lights a spark of interest in the driver previously unavailable behind the wheel. There, phew, I got it all out.
It somehow even looks cuter as an EV. There’s nothing aesthetically different about it, but it just looks … better. The front grille is closed in for less drag, and the rear looks beefier, even though it is exactly the same as the gas model.
Inside, the Spark is treated to calming and earthly toned light blue accent bits with ‘80s-esque material adoring the seat cushions. Amenities are sparse but include the basics such as a MyLink , satellite radio, cruise control, power windows and locks, steering-wheel buttons, and some pretty awesome graphics that display in the centre gauge cluster upon start-up.
It’s an EV, how is it fun to drive?
327 lb-ft of torque is fun anytime it’s housed in a vehicle that’s only 146” long with a 93.5” wheelbase. I mean, come on! What the gas-powered Spark was missing, that spark and character, the EV makes up for in spades and volts. Seriously, this thing is a blast. It silently scoots along at a good clip when asked, turning feels sharper than in the gas unit, and while the regenerative brakes are a bit hard to get used to, once the learning curve is mastered they’re fab.
Horsepower rings out to the tune of 140 ponies thanks to its electric motor and lithium-ion battery, and all power is sent to the front wheels. Four-wheel ABS and disc brakes are standard as is MacPherson strut front suspension.
Is it practical for everyday life?
If you live close to work, it sure is. For me, not so much. The Spark EV will travel 82 miles (approx. 130 km) in ideal conditions, so trim that down to between 95-110km on one charge. I travel about 80km one way, so I’d make it. Once at work, I can plug it into a regular 120-volt wall socket but a full charge will take longer than the average workday. I don’t know that the Spark EV would have enough in it to get me home without some serious range anxiety.
With Chevrolet’s available 240-volt charging unit, the Spark EV will reach a full charge in 7 hours. Fast Charge units are also available that will recharge 80% of your battery in just 20 minutes -- but those units are not available for use in homes.
Space inside is nearly identical to that of the regular spark with over 83 cu-ft of space for passengers and a good-size trunk that’s sure to adhere to any basic small-family needs.
It just makes sense.
I love when manufacturers do something right and something kinda cool at the same time. I don’t know Chevy’s business plans off by heart, but I’m sure they always intended the Spark to be an EV. Had they released the EV before or at the same time as the gas unit, I have a feeling the Spark would have had a much different welcome into the auto world.
And it would make even more sense if it were available for public purchase in Canada. At the moment, the Spark EV is only available as a fleet unit. This saddens me slightly as I think GM has a great little unit here that I imagine first-time car buyers and those no longer wishing to pay for gas would really enjoy owning and driving.
Fingers crossed they spark a deal with that in the future (last one, I swear).
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