Tony1
Member
Driving the Spark EV is an experience in itself. It’s got more torque than a Ferrari 458 Italia, making for some seriously fun stoplight drag races. The transmission, originally a six-speed auto, was stripped down to a single forward gear with a 3.17:1 final drive ratio. Compared to its gas-powered sibling, this EV is 2,967 lbs heavier, but with 400 lb-ft of torque, it rockets from 0-60 in 7.6 seconds. The 52/48 weight distribution makes it surprisingly agile at speed.
Chevy packed a lot of Volt tech into the Spark EV, including the Driver Confidence Gauge, which continuously updates you on power remaining. The gauge shows green bars that disappear as the battery depletes, turning yellow when it’s time to find a charger. It’s not without quirks, though stiffer springs from the weight make it a bit twitchy on bumpy roads, and the regenerative braking requires more pedal pressure than expected.
Interestingly, the Spark EV wasn’t even part of Chevy’s original plan. It was their answer to the surge of EVs like the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus EV, and Fiat 500e. By borrowing tech from the Volt, Chevy kept costs low, pricing the Spark EV at $27,495—$2,000 less than the Leaf.
Chevy packed a lot of Volt tech into the Spark EV, including the Driver Confidence Gauge, which continuously updates you on power remaining. The gauge shows green bars that disappear as the battery depletes, turning yellow when it’s time to find a charger. It’s not without quirks, though stiffer springs from the weight make it a bit twitchy on bumpy roads, and the regenerative braking requires more pedal pressure than expected.
Interestingly, the Spark EV wasn’t even part of Chevy’s original plan. It was their answer to the surge of EVs like the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus EV, and Fiat 500e. By borrowing tech from the Volt, Chevy kept costs low, pricing the Spark EV at $27,495—$2,000 less than the Leaf.