Chevrolet has come up with an all-electric Spark (Beat in India) which as per its specifications doesn’t compromise on speed and performance whilst being on the greener side. The Spark EV was introduced ahead of its premiere at the Los Angeles Motor Show which takes place later this month. The American car maker assures immense speed factors on the new electric vehicle apart from convenience features too. Most of the transmission system of the Spark EV have been sourced from the Chevrolet Volt and GM’s hybrid truck programs. With the new Spark EV, GM intends to show the world its growing expertise in electric motor and battery technologies.
The Spark EV will be powered by a 20 kWh Lithium-ion battery which will turn the oil-cooled permanent magnet motor. This motor is claimed to produce about 134 BHP of power and a massive torque of 542 Nm. The battery would be covered by what Chevrolet is known to provide well, a warranty of eight years/1,60,000 kms. GM would be developing an all new pure electric motor and the drive unit for the Spark. The pure electric motor and the drive unit will commence production at GM’s new transmission plant in Maryland by early 2013. This powerful system would be inside a rather small Spark, so good performance and driving pleasure can be undoubtedly expected. This electric Chevrolet Spark will do a 0-100 km/h in less than eight seconds.
The battery pack will be mounted under the rear seats and protrudes partially into the boot. Enormous hours of testing have been done for the Spark EV’s battery and various charging options are available too. A 120-volt charging cord set will be provided as standard. A 240-volt AC cord will help charge the car in less than seven hours. Apart from this, an industry first DC fast charge system will enable quick and multiple charges per day and can help fill the battery up to 80 percent in just twenty minutes. Full-fledged details would surface at its launch at the LA Motor Show. The Spark EV would enter production by 2013 and should be up for sales by early 2014.
