Chevrolet Spark EV (2014)

Combined, all of these refinements help contribute to Chevrolet Spark EV's 82 miles (130 km) of range and its impressive 0.326 coefficient of drag.

Spark EV colors include Electric Blue, Silver Ice, Black Granite, Summit White and Titanium.

Roomy, technology-filled interior

Designers focused on creating an environment that is harmonious, uninterrupted, flowing and inviting to the senses. With 86.3 cu. ft. (2,444 L) of passenger volume and 9.6 cu. ft. (272 L) of cargo volume, Chevrolet Spark EV is one of the largest vehicles in the segment.

Storage options include a center console bin, door pocket bottle holders, a passenger IP storage tray and four cup holders, two each in the front and rear. Cloth seats are standard and leatherette-trimmed seats are available.

The dramatic, customizable instrument cluster/Driver Information Center helps drivers get the most out of their EV experience. The cluster includes:

• Seven-inch full-color LCD display screen that provides digital and graphic feedback
• Efficiency gauge for the propulsion battery power
• Digital speedometer
• Confidence gauge for remaining EV range shows real-time expected driving range based on driving style and other conditions
• Trip computer

The integrated center stack adds a second seven-inch, full-color touch-screen that includes the infotainment display, audio and climate controls, heated seat controls, USB, power outlet, defogger button and StabiliTrak/traction control on/off button. All knobs feature LED lighting for improved visibility and access.

In the center console, an open storage area near the USB port provides a convenient location for a cell phone or portable music player. The Sport driving mode switch is located in front of the shift lever.

Two Spark EV interior colors - Electric Blue and Dark Pewter - are available with all five exterior colors.

Standard and available features

Spark 1LT is generously equipped and includes these and other standard features:

• 120V onboard charger
• 240V charging capability
• Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and regenerative braking
• Six speakers
• Fifteen-inch aluminum wheels
• Ten standard air bags
• Air conditioning
• Bluetooth capability
• Center stack-mounted seven-inch color touch-screen display
• Chevrolet MyLink, USB port, auxiliary input jack
• Chrome liftgate handle
• Seven-inch color Driver Information Center display
• Cruise control
• Electric parking brake
• Heated driver and front passenger cloth seats
• Power locks and windows
• Remote keyless entry
• Remote start/passenger compartment pre-conditioning
• Steering wheel-mounted controls
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio (three-month trial period)

Spark 2LT includes 1LT standard content plus heated leatherette driver and front passenger seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Available on both models is the SAE combo charger for DC fast charging. It recharges the battery to 80-percent capacity in 20 minutes.

Chevrolet MyLink connectivity gets personal

MyLink is standard on all Spark EV models, and was designed to provide Spark EV customers with the ability to view their EV performance and personalize their infotainment delivery.

MyLink for Chevrolet Spark EV consists of a seven-inch diagonal touch screen, AM/FM/SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with three months of service) stereo with seek-and-scan, digital clock, Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phones, voice recognition for compatible smartphones and six speakers.

EV-related information is accessed through a menu icon and includes an animated power-flow graphic, an energy information screen and access to screens that allow the driver to program charging preferences.

For infotainment, MyLink operates by integrating the owner's compatible smartphone and stored media - via Bluetooth, plug-in outlet or USB - with the radio. That lets owners enjoy simple, safe and personalized connectivity while their smartphone is stowed. It also makes it easy to accommodate new apps.

MyLink is simple to use: The owner selects from menu options on the touch screen: Audio, Pictures & Movies, Telephone, Smartphone Link and Settings. Each menu selection takes the user though a list of easy-to-select functions.

MyLink also includes compatibility with Siri for customers with a compatible iPhone running iOS6, as well as apps for BringGo in-dash navigation (requires smartphone app purchase) and TuneIn, which provides access to 70,000 global radio stations, Pandora and Stitcher Smart Radio.

In MyLink-equipped Spark EVs, owners can use Siri in Eyes Free mode to:

• Make voice-activated, hands-free calls to Contacts on their iPhone
• Play songs in the iTunes library, and even switch music sources automatically from AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode
• Listen to, and compose and send an iMessage or text message to a phone number or anyone in saved Contacts
• Access Calendar and add appointments
• Minimize distraction even more by keeping the screen of the iPhone from lighting up, even when Siri answers simple questions such as game scores or the dates of national holidays
• While in Eyes Free mode, Siri will not provide answers to complex questions that require displaying a web page

The available BringGo app provides full-function, in-dash navigation via MyLink, as well as live traffic updates, for less than $60. It also includes:

• Emergency information such as police, fire and the nearest hospital
• Thousands of points of interest
• Local Search via Google
• Where am I? locator
• Live traffic functionality provides crash reports and lane closures, and with alternative routes
• 3-D maps
• Ability to store native maps to the customer's smartphone, giving them access to locations and turn-by-turn directions even when phone signal quality is poor. Many GPS-enabled apps do not do this
• Available for download on iTunes or Googleplay for compatible smartphones

The TuneIn app connects Spark EV customers to live local, international and Internet radio. Users can search for programming by location, genre, sports team name, station type or call sign.

Power, performance and recharging

Spark EV is powered by an advanced electric motor and battery system that give it a top speed of 90 mph and an EPA-estimated 82 miles of driving range, all the while achieving an EPA-estimated 119 combined city/highway MPGe fuel economy equivalent. All Chevrolet Spark EV models also feature a smooth, single-speed automatic transmission.

Spark EV owners can choose from two driving modes to meet their needs using a switch on the center console near the shift lever.

• Normal Mode - The default mode, it maximizes driving efficiency
• Sport Mode - Provides a sportier driving experience with more responsive acceleration, but can reduce efficiency

Chevrolet engineers used their experience on the Volt and two-mode hybrids (Silverado and Tahoe) to design the Spark EV system. More than 75 percent of the propulsion components on the Chevrolet Spark EV are from these programs.

The heart of the Spark EV's propulsion system is its electric drive unit, manufactured by GM at its White Marsh, Md. facility. It is the first time a major U.S. auto manufacturer has designed and built both a complete electric motor and drive unit for a modern EV in the U.S.

Spark EV's electric drive unit produces 105 kW and 140 horsepower, and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque, for more acceleration power than some high-end sports cars.

Encased in a strong composite material case and positioned below the load floor over the rear axle, the Spark EV's 21-kWh lithium-ion battery is designed to deliver value, safety, quality, performance, durability and reliability.

A liquid thermal management system cools and heats the battery for a long life, and it is backed by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Owners can choose three levels of recharging for the Chevrolet Spark EV:

• AC 120V charging - A 120V onboard charger and charge cord are standard. Plug in the cord into a conventional household outlet and the Spark EV is fully charged in less than 17 hours.
• AC 240V charging - This requires a dedicated 240V charging station and reduces recharging time to less than seven hours.
• DC fast charging - Later in the model year, buyers may select this optional feature that permits the car to be charged using an SAE combo DC fast charger, which charges the battery to 80 percent of its capacity in 20 minutes. The system also includes a remote stop charge feature that halts DC charging with the push of a button on a remote key fob.

Spark EV ride and handling

Chevrolet Spark EV derives much of its confident road feel and driving comfort from its stiff body frame integral construction. Sixty percent of Spark EV's structure is made from high-strength steel that improves chassis stiffness, reduces noise, vibration and harshness and improves driving dynamics.

The independent front suspension features MacPherson struts, coil springs and direct-acting 19mm stabilizer bar. The rear suspension is a semi-independent compound crank (torsion beam) design that combines the advantages of a conventional torsion beam axle with low weight and the ability to be tuned.

All Spark EVs have power, electric rack-and-pinion steering. Its tight, 33.8-foot (10.3 M) curb-to-curb turning circle enables excellent handling and maneuverability for tight city spaces.

The Chevrolet Spark EV's brake system includes:

• Four-wheel ABS
• Standard electronic brakeforce distribution
• Brake assist
• Hill Start Assist
• Electric parking brake
• StabiliTrak stability control
• Traction control

The front brakes include an electro-hydraulic regenerative brake system that captures braking energy - normally wasted in a conventional vehicle - and transfers it to the battery system. From the vehicle's top speed of 90 mph to approximately 10 mph, and as long as the deceleration does not exceed 3g, regenerative braking is used 100 percent of the time to slow the vehicle.

Hill Start Assist helps prevent drivers from rolling when restarting from a stopped position on a hill. It allows drivers to take their foot off the brake long enough to use the accelerator and move forward.

Spark safety, security and crash-avoidance features

Designed with occupant safety in mind, Chevrolet Spark EV offers crash-avoidance technologies such as StabiliTrak and ABS, and helps protect occupants in the event of a crash with 10 standard air bags, including both driver and passenger front knee air bags, to reduce the risk of lower extremity injuries in frontal crashes.

Dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted side air bags and side curtain air bags that extend over the front and rear seating rows are also standard. Other safety and security technologies include:

• Rollover sensing system
• Three-point safety belts in all four seating positions
• Seat belt pretensioners in the front driver and passenger seats
• LATCH child seat attachment system
• Adjustable head restraints
• Collapsible steering column
• Remote keyless entry
• Anti-theft technology
• Engine immobilizer
• OnStar safety and security system