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!😁

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.

My 2016 has no problems. I hope my battery goes out so I can get a new one. Lol

Google Crutchfield.

🤣

honestly its time for them to update it again

Probably has a lot to do with their longevity as well.

Well, GM has been making EVs since 1996, so it’s not like they had to start from the beginning with their research and development.

@@UmmYeahOk If you consider moon rover was made by GM, GM has been making EV since 1972.

Cells easily replaced by third parties and DIY would be better, water cooled or air cooled as then you could inexpensively refurbish the battery pack.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i613hbCB1-CwfqM.html

I love chevy spark

🎉my car ls called sparky

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.

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.

If battery tech improves in the next five years and these are still around it might be fun to upgrade the battery in a Spark. I still have a Geo Metro, I don't care about cool features - if its low budget

I do 3rd party delivery, and on any decent day I'd drive at least double the range of this car; occasionally triple, not even counting my commute home.

@@jamesengland7461 In Rio de Janeiro, many of the Taxis are gasoline vehicles converted to use compressed natural gas. When you got into one of them, they would proceed to a gas station and get enough natural gas for the trip and then make the trip. I'd imagine the strategy with using these vehicles for delivery would be the same, to just charge enough for the next trip as battery packs charge the fastest when they are are close to being depleted just to minimize the recharge time. I'd suspect someone using this vehicle for delivery would start with a full charge from their home level 2 charge station, run it till depleted perhaps 20% and then just fast charge to 50% or maybe even 80% capacity between deliveries. Keeping the charge level low shortens the charging times and with how small this car's battery is, we're probably talking about 10 to 15 minute fast charges.

@@johnwang9914 from my experience,, that's not feasible. It's not unusual for me to go nonstop for several hours, driving too many miles without stopping, and then to have to sign off and go charge the battery? Thar 15 minutes will cost a delivery, maybe more.

How has it done with delivery driving ? Just ordered one but I failed to see you only get 80 miles at a time . I can drive maybe triple that on a weekend day

@@smhshyla I dash in an area outside of ATL that has a good amount of fast chargers in all directions. So i have a safety net that allows me to pretty much do a couple of hours of deliveries then charge right back up in 15 min and do it again. Something i learned though, and is common knowledge do your best to fast charge to 80% because its bad for the overall health of the batter to fast charge over that and since im near chargers I dont need the over 80% anyways.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i613hbCB1-CwfqM.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"

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.

Is it worth the buy? The the torque at 35 mph really slapping

@@bryanCLXT I've had mine for two years as a daily driver/sleeper it's really great. I think it only costs $20 a month on my electric bill and requires almost no maintenance.

@@airplanesrfun ty I'll.look for a one on the markets

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.

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.

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

Yeah cuz it isnt the 50's where we have to have wool blankets and other atrocious nonsense

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.

*braking*, oops

I wonder if that's why the spark has the useless screen he talked about. In the Volt you have the electric engine charging the battery, so there would be something on that screen beside using electricity when the car accelerates.

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.

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.

It's not just KZfaq 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.

I have a 2016 Fiat 500e as well, and it is my favorite car. Possibly the best city car ever. The spark looks like a lot of fun as well.

@@leightonmann ya buddy. I have a 2017e but I overpaid for it since I bought it during the car shortage. Still worth it.

Ure joking

@@triplehsheartattack8515 Not joking. Such a fun little car.

"If they could produce this car with with 200 mile range, I’d buy one but I have a long commute.", well they did, that would be the 2017-2023 Chevy Bolt EV, which has a range of 259 miles. Batteries in the first 3 model years were all recalled and replaced, and the battery warranties were reset.

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.

Leaf EV owners are swapping new batteries into old leafs to regain charge and boosted battery capacity. So it could happen later down the line.