2017 Sonic EV Speculation

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FutureFolly

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
141
The rumors will only keep building, but sifting through the tea leaves is always entertaining.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094921_2017-chevrolet-sonic-ev-more-electric-car-details-trickle-out

-200-mile range?
-$30,000?
-Leaf competitor?
-International sales?
-Different capacity battery-packs available?


I would be very surprised if they are able to fit enough batteries in a Sonic to give it a 200-mile range. Even at a very favorable 5.0 mi/kwh that's 40 kWh's of usable battery charge in a subcompact car. Either these numbers are referencing next generation lithium cells that we haven't seen yet or they're planning to go to the extremes with efficiencies in a Super Efficient model or they're bullshitting to the press.

I haven't heard rumors of GM developing a ground up BEV to compete against the Leaf. If they do launch a larger purpose-built EV it will probably be under the Cadillac brand though.
 
Can you please stop starting new threads on the same topics?

http://mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3918

I sure wish this forum had a "Stuff that isn't related to Spark EV" section!

Bryce
 
I'm sorry if you think it's off topic. The Sonic EV development seems pretty closely related to the Spark EV. You certainly can't talk about the Sonic EV without the context of the Spark EV. If rumors about a 2017 Spark EV existed I would want to speculate on those instead.

The Spark EV represents GM's commitment to advancing EV technology, even if they don't care about market share. The Spark EV is as much a prototype as it is a production vehicle. The powertrain will go to do great things for the world years after people have forgotten that it began in a 'compliance' car. Its significance is about what the technology represents more than how it's impacting the environment right now.

A lot of headlines are focused on the next GM EV having a 200-mile range. It's been mentioned multiple times by multiple GM executive. That kind of range from a battery EV would represent a revolutionary improvement in the technology. Even if it uses battery technology that we won't see for years much of the Sonic EV will rely on the guts of the Spark EV. I assumed people familiar with the Spark EV were best qualified to speculate about GM's future decision making.
 
First and foremost, the Sonic EV is the end of the Spark EV. If a company builds one car just for CARB-ZEV compliance, they don't then need two.

Secondly, the 200 mile range will be what squeaks by for GM to earn 4 credits per car instead of 3. They absolutley won't make the same mistake of putting too big of a battery in it, like they did with the 2014 Spark EV.

So, expect more like 150-160 mile "real" range.

As to "selling all over the place", GM spokes-holes said the same with the Spark EV. Where they will sell it is all the other CARB-ZEV states that they will be required to sell it in by 2018, plus any place else that there is either a regulatory or PR advantage.

Some of those regulations exist in Europe, and certainly the U.S. government "CAFE" rules. A car that burns no gas can offset a lot of Suburbans and crew cab pickups for corporate average fuel economy.

What this car really tells me is that GM might not go with hydrogen cars for 2018 and beyond. And because electic cars earn only 3/9 or 4/9 the credits of EV's, they will need to sell a lot more than 50 per month in two states.

-150-mile range (200 for CARB-ZEV purposes)
-$35,000
-LEAF competitor, yes, but not seriously. LEAF is a world car and will have 150 option then
-International sales in regulatory areas where there is an advantage
-Different capacity batteries would either be "200 miles" or "100 miles", as there is no credit advantage to have something in between.
-There is no credit for public quick charge infrastructure, so I don't see that changing from GM. Token support at best, just like now.

***********

CARB-ZEV state coalition - California, New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Maine and New Jersey are participating with ZEV initiatives, but are not signatory CARB-ZEV states.

Model year ---- ZEV Credit % of total annual sales

2012 ------------ 0.79%
2018 ------------ 2.00%
2019 ------------ 4.00%
2020 ------------ 6.00%
2021 ------------ 8.00%
2022 ----------- 10.00%
2023 ----------- 12.00%
2024 ----------- 14.00%
2025 ----------- 16.00%
 
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