Recent content by SparkieVee

That's great that it's doable. I'm not clear on why the hills are more problematic in one direction than the other. It seems more likely to me that it would be a difference in the wind. With that in mind, know that driving with the cruise at 55 is probably not the most efficient, nor fastest...

I've done a few 100-mile highway drives in a Spark EV. Made it to 120 once in the 2014, so it can definitely be done, but with unknown battery degradation you will need to be cautious. Wind can also make a big difference. If you're just driving by yourself you'll probably need to keep it to...

Weird but true, if you unlock the door with the key it sets off the alarm and you can only turn it off with the key fob. The "transmitter pocket" lets the car read the fob even with a dead battery. I had one fob with a dying battery so I learned this lesson. It was a few weeks before the...

Where's MrDrMorgan? I returned a 2014 lease and bought a 2016 the same day (2 1/2 years ago). From my not-too-precisely calibrated seat of the pants measure and memory, I'd say that the change in gearing makes up for the change in motor torque, at least at low speeds. At higher speeds (>45 or...

I'd rule out option B right off the bat. If you're worried about the cost of buying a used Spark EV, there's no way it will make financial sense to buy a Bolt or Volt. In addition to my Spark, I have a Bolt lease. The Spark EV was a good financial choice when I bought it (after tax credits...

If you go this route, make sure you document what work was done. For me (and in general I presume), they didn't do a post-return inspection and just sent me the bill for what they found at the pre-return inspection. I had to send receipts to prove that I'd had the work done.

I had that happen as well. The update wiped out the kWh used from memory, but not the miles. 51.1 is the maximum that Sparkie will display. Not sure the programming behind it, but I presume they have some code to prevent a negative value if you end a trip with more juice than you had when you...

I think this is about as minor of a problem as you could find with a used car. The only time I had to remove that cover was when the battery was failing on my key fob and I had to stick the key into that slot to get the car to recognize it. I did find it difficult to get the cover to stay in...

Actually I don't think that's true. Yes, the ideal draft is too close for safety - if you could keep it 5 feet from the back bumper of a semi going 50 I'd bet you could make 200 miles. But a respectful following distance will still give you a significant range boost. I commute by bike and I...

Check the fuses.

I've had the EP422s on the front for almost 2 years now. I'd say they have no noticeable effect on range and are marginally better than the EP150s in all other aspects. Traction is slightly better, both wet and dry, but it's still pretty easy to break them loose. I may be imagining it, but I...

Me too. Two bikes on a strap-on rack seems fine but I don't think I'd do three, and I'm happy my wife upgraded from a 35-pound cruiser to a 22-pound hybrid. Now I don't worry about the weight. I did put some clear vinyl on the wing to protect the paint because I'd noticed some wear from the...

If one counts 4 miles/KWh, it's not possible to go 120 miles in a single charge, which I have done several times. Its definitely safer to stop at the Chevron station, but driving carefully it would be possible to do 51 miles uphill. Find a truck going 40-45 and get behind it. Don't get up on...

It seems about perfect for your situation. Getting around Reno would be no problem. I also have a garage that's full of stuff. I have a heavy-duty extension cord plugged into an outlet in the garage. It runs under the garage door and I plug the cord from the car into that. In over 3 years...

My end-of-lease paperwork (US Bank) specifically stated that I had to return them, and the dealer at least checked to make sure the EVSE was there. These cars are going to be sold for $8-10k, and the people who buy them aren't going to be very likely to spend $2k to install a 240 EVSE. They're...