Thursday, October 13, 2011

All-Electric Chevy Spark Announced for 2013

GM announced its first all-electric car, the 2013 Chevrolet Spark, will be available starting next year in select US markets.

The first of its kind for GM, the Chevy Spark EV will run solely off of lithium-ion battery technology, unlike the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid which was introduced last year and runs on both electric and gas. “The Spark EV offers customers living in urban areas who have predictable driving patterns or short commutes an all-electric option,” said Jim Federico, global vehicle chief engineer for electric vehicles at Chevrolet.

The Chevy Spark EV will compete against other all-electric vehicles including the Nissan Leaf, which was released last year, and the forthcoming Mitsubishi i and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. While EVs have been slow to catch on in the US due to few model options, high prices and a lack of charging infrastructure, many automakers are pushing towards more fuel-efficient models as the US begins to require more stringent requirements for the industry.

Chevy has not yet made available the details on specifications, price, or release date of the 2013 Spark EV. A new version of the gasoline-powered Spark, already available in China, India and South Korea, will also debut next year in the US.

The 2013 Chevy Spark EV, entering the US electric vehicle market next year, will bring further weight to the increasing electric market and increase GM’s place within the green movement.

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