2016 Spark EV rumours

[ezryder]

Anyone work for Chevy here? I'm thinking the 2016 model won't have much to offer in the way of updates, but I wonder if Chevy might at least give the Spark EV a 6.6kwh charger. It's almost a crime they didn't do that for the 2014 or 2015. But, now with the competition heating up and still 2+ years away from the Bolt, it seems like this would be a cheap thing to do and would give a lot of buying incentive. I'm sitting on the fence right now, trying to decide on an eGolf, which, lease-wise, is not a whole lot more than the Spark EV. But it's much roomier and has the 6.6kwh and more luxurious, supposedly. I'll test drive it this weekend and see for myself. If the Spark EV had a 6.6kwh right now I would have no reservations and just buy or lease it right now. I don't care about the cargo room factor so much, and I think it's pretty well appointed as is - and I actually prefer the information system - especially like the large led readout over the steering wheel. Much easier to read than tiny gauge lettering. But given the short range on both these cars, it seems to me that being able to charge twice as fast is a VERY big plus. I can charge up to make it back home in an hour versus two. That's huge.

 

[fengshui]

It's very unlikely they will go to a 6.6 kWh charger in the Spark. The Spark is re-using the charger from the Volt, so I could see them bumping up to 3.6 kWh on the Spark EV, like the Volt, but I doubt they'd engineer a whole new charger for the Spark.

 

[ezryder]

It's very unlikely they will go to a 6.6 kWh charger in the Spark. The Spark is re-using the charger from the Volt, so I could see them bumping up to 3.6 kWh on the Spark EV, like the Volt, but I doubt they'd engineer a whole new charger for the Spark.

Well, it's tempting to see that logic as sound, but then why did they engineer a whole new charger to begin with, and not just use the one from the Volt?

EDIT: OK, I get what you're saying; the NEW Volt has a redesigned 3.6kwh charger, I guess. So that does make sense, but...

...it's not like this is rocket science, either. Everyone else is using 6.6kwh chargers. I think it's exactly the right thing to do. They can't/won't give more miles, most likely, or make any other big changes. They've clearly decided this is a commuter car and that's it. But, I maintain it's an easy fix to give it a bigger charger as part of an incremental change. Last year it was a redesigned battery and a higher gear ratio favoring the commuter/city/short-haul driver. Seems to me they need to do SOMETHING slightly significant for 2016. They also added the DC Fast Charger option in 2013, right - that was a big deal, and not a simple engineering add-on. So, each year a fairly significant engineering change has been made. I think in order to stay competitive and to show advancement in the product line, the natural evolution is to add a 6.6kwh charger. There's almost nothing else they CAN do, barring "nothing" - which seems unlikely.

I suspect that if they keep the Spark EV in the lineup for a few more years, we may even see a 200 mile range on it, perhaps two years after the Bolt comes out. Of course, they could just kill it when the Bolt does come out, but if sales are strong for it, they may do as I said and up the range a few years down the road. I can see them upping it to 120 miles, or something, when the Bolt comes out, given the space limitations and higher tech combination.

 

[tigger19687]

They have the Bolt on the design board.

Why waste time on a car that will (most likely) still be just a compliance care.

I would think that they would put all their effort into the BOLT.

 

[ezryder]

They have the Bolt on the design board.

Why waste time on a car that will (most likely) still be just a compliance care.

I would think that they would put all their effort into the BOLT.

Then why roll-out the Spark EV to other states that don't have a compliance factor? I understand they will be rolling the Spark EV out to other states - Maryland being next. http://www.autoblog.com/2015/01/22/chevy-spark-ev-will-go-on-sale-in-maryland/

"The Spark EV has been one of the most well-received electric vehicles in the industry and customer demand helped make the decision to expand its availability to Maryland," said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of car marketing. "Following the introduction of the next-generation Volt and Bolt EV concept, this further reinforces Chevrolet's commitment to electrification and delivering more choices where our customers want them."
...
"Maryland has a strong commuter market and a good charging infrastructure, which influenced the decision to make it the Spark EV's first East Coast market," said Majoros. "We also have a strong dealership network in the Old Line State that's eager to offer it."

I think the Spark EV is part of a bigger, long term, strategy to offer a line-up of options for different budgets and needs. Adding a 6.6kwh charger would be a logical move for the 2016 model. Waiting later than that would be foolish.

 

[tigger19687]

Because I see NO CCS chargers in that area t all.

And I still say I will believe it when I see it sold there.

And once the news about less miles to the NEW 2015 model come out, I think more will buy the E-golf (already available all over) or Kia Soul EV over the spark EV

 

[ezryder]

Because I see NO CCS chargers in that area t all.

And I still say I will believe it when I see it sold there.

And once the news about less miles to the NEW 2015 model come out, I think more will buy the E-golf (already available all over) or Kia Soul EV over the spark EV

Eh. "Less miles" if you do highway driving mostly; more miles if you use the car as a stop-n-go commuter car. Which it's what it's designed to be. And the eGolf and Soul are $10k more. I know; I'm going thru this decision right now. The Soul is especially tempting. But... $10k more is a lot for less "fun" and half the power. The ONLY thing that is keeping me from pulling the trigger on the Spark EV is the 3.3kwh charger. Though, the shoulder room is a bit of a bummer, too. I haven't tested the Soul or the eGold, yet, so we'll see. I already don't like the eGolf for the instrumentation and boring looks. The Soul pretty much has it all - except the speed/fun and the extra $10k.

 

[Pegasus]

The ONLY thing that is keeping me from pulling the trigger on the Spark EV is the 3.3kwh charger.

I'm going to add at least one 3.3kW booster charger to my Spark EV when the stock one annoys me enough, like people did to the first-gen Leaf with its 3.3kW charger. (You can fit two more boosters in it giving you just about 10kW!) So far, there have only been a handful of times when it would have been needed and I had to take my Prius instead.

 

[ezryder]

The ONLY thing that is keeping me from pulling the trigger on the Spark EV is the 3.3kwh charger.

I'm going to add at least one 3.3kW booster charger to my Spark EV when the stock one annoys me enough, like people did to the first-gen Leaf with its 3.3kW charger. (You can fit two more boosters in it giving you just about 10kW!) So far, there have only been a handful of times when it would have been needed and I had to take my Prius instead.

?? You can do that?

 

[tigger19687]

The soul EV is really about $7k more when you add the fast charging to the spark. Plus you get the 6.6 where you can't update that in the spark.
I think it is worth it plus the extra room on the inside.

But hey, it's your money

 

[ezryder]

The soul EV is really about $7k more when you add the fast charging to the spark. Plus you get the 6.6 where you can't update that in the spark.
I think it is worth it plus the extra room on the inside.

But hey, it's your money

Well, there IS one other thing; I'm 6'4" and believe it or not, of ALL the EV's I've tried - which is all but the e-Golf and the Soul - I'm practically sitting in the back seat. The leg-room is there, but when I look left I see door-jamb. I'm not crazy about having to lean forward to look out the drivers side window. And, crazy enough, the smallest car of the bunch - the Spark EV - fits me best, and with more head-room, too. I saw a Soul EV on the road this morning and I could see that the woman driving was short, yet she looked flush with the door jamb, so I have a sinking feeling I'll have the same problem with it - and most likely the e-Golf, as well. So, everything is pointing to a Spark in my future - but I'm sorely tempted to wait until I find out if they plan on upping to the 6.6kwh charger. I'd hate to pull the trigger on the 2015 and find out a few quick months later that the 2016 would have the upgrade.

 

[tigger19687]

i suggest you go sit in the soul

 

[TonyWilliams]

They have the Bolt on the design board.

Why waste time on a car that will (most likely) still be just a compliance care.

I would think that they would put all their effort into the BOLT.

Then why roll-out the Spark EV to other states that don't have a compliance factor? I understand they will be rolling the Spark EV out to other states - Maryland being next. http://www.autoblog.com/2015/01/22/chevy-spark-ev-will-go-on-sale-in-maryland/

"The Spark EV has been one of the most well-received electric vehicles in the industry and customer demand helped make the decision to expand its availability to Maryland," said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of car marketing. "Following the introduction of the next-generation Volt and Bolt EV concept, this further reinforces Chevrolet's commitment to electrification and delivering more choices where our customers want them."
...
"Maryland has a strong commuter market and a good charging infrastructure, which influenced the decision to make it the Spark EV's first East Coast market," said Majoros. "We also have a strong dealership network in the Old Line State that's eager to offer it."

I think the Spark EV is part of a bigger, long term, strategy to offer a line-up of options for different budgets and needs. Adding a 6.6kwh charger would be a logical move for the 2016 model. Waiting later than that would be foolish.

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.

The eight states combined account for 23% of U.S. vehicle sales, according to California’s Air Resources, and all ten states make up 28%.

 

[ezryder]

Not sure what your point is. That Chevy is not goin gto bother upgrading the charger to 6.6kwh because they will only be going after these 8 states, potentially? Not sure I buy that. 28% is a lot of market.

 

[Pegasus]

?? You can do that?

I aim to try. I just had two more occasions where the stock charger has been an inconvenience (and made my wife mad at me for insisting on taking the Spark over the Prius.)

I need to get it up on a lift and have a good look around underneath. More info in my thread on the topic: http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3420

 

[ezryder]

i suggest you go sit in the soul

I did. Liked it a lot. But too slow and too expensive. I got a great deal on a lease on the Spark EV.

 

[JeremyW]

The only thing I can think of for 2016 improvements is the inclusion of CarPlay and Android Auto into the GM lineup which includes the 2016 gas spark. I hope they include the Spark EV in that. The first demo of Apple CarPlay was on a Spark EV, at least, so it's promising.

 

[ezryder]

The only thing I can think of for 2016 improvements is the inclusion of CarPlay and Android Auto into the GM lineup which includes the 2016 gas spark. I hope they include the Spark EV in that. The first demo of Apple CarPlay was on a Spark EV, at least, so it's promising.

To me, the obvious major improvement would be a 6.6 Kw charger. It would cut the charging time in half and make those times when you HAD to use Local 2 charging a lot more livable.

 

[Nashco]

To me, the obvious major improvement would be a 6.6 Kw charger. It would cut the charging time in half and make those times when you HAD to use Local 2 charging a lot more livable.

That's a dream, not a rumor, as there has been zero indication that GM intends to release anything better than the 3.7 kW on board charger the current Volt gets on any vehicle.

Bryce

 

[ezryder]

To me, the obvious major improvement would be a 6.6 Kw charger. It would cut the charging time in half and make those times when you HAD to use Local 2 charging a lot more livable.

That's a dream, not a rumor, as there has been zero indication that GM intends to release anything better than the 3.7 kW on board charger the current Volt gets on any vehicle.

Bryce

q
Yeah, i didn't think it was a rumor. Just a dream.