2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Review and Road Test

[@CLL-1]

It’s remarkable how far ev technology has come since this video was made. I enjoy your reviews!

[@MrTeff999]

If you lease a Spark or a Fiat EV, you will not need an oil change or any other engine maintenance for the next three years. You will never need to buy gas. You will never need to stand in line at a gas station. And the cost of electricity will be a fraction of what you've been paying for gas.

[@kc5077]

Great review Alex, you're the only guy who actually explains the technology and doesn't add to the misconceptions. I would love to see you drive the Mitsubishi Mirage, it's more of a curiosity to me and I like your balanced review.

[@petermainwald6413]

Actually, the brake light DOES come on when you lift off the gas and are in Low... Strangely enough the Volt does not...

[@Geckogold]

The Gen 2 Volts (2016-19) ones do though. Or if you press the "regen-on-demand" paddle behind the left side of the steering wheel.

[@Liefpj]

the i-MiEV's didn't either. I had to give a tap on the brakes if someone was behind me.

[@v8eater2]

Disagree with you on the point about a electric vehicle being "dirtier" than a Prius given the source of power generation. Gas does not come out of the ground ready to go into your car, it actually takes about 4 KWh to refine each gallon of fuel. So, a gas powered car pollutes as it burns gas which polluted while it was being refined. I'm not a tree huger and done even own an EV but wanted to make the point.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

While that is true, if your power comes primarily from coal, then it is still "dirtier" to drive than an EV when you take everything into account.

[@JeffKubel]

Driving a typical electric car powered by 100% coal-derived electricity will produce carbon equivalent to somewhere between the US fleet average and a very fuel efficient gas car (25MPG to 45MPG), depending on the particular well-to-wheel study you read. But there are a few interesting facts that make this irrelevant: Coal-fired plants are *baseload* power plants- this is a really important concept to grasp. This means they burn the same amount of coal whether it's on-peak or off-peak. During the day, they see lots of demand and are augmented with peaking power plants. During the night, the peaking power plants spool down, but the baseload power plants stay at base load- they have excess capacity. Most electric cars are charged during off-peak hours (at night, while we sleep), meaning they consume otherwise wasted energy- with no net increase in carbon emissions. This is why off-peak rates are drastically cheaper than on-peak rates. In fact, the majority of passenger vehicles could switch over to electricity overnight without a need for additional power plants because of this relationship that electric cars have to baseload power schemes. If you plug in at night, there is NO net increase in carbon emissions. The coal plant doesn't have to burn any extra coal to power your car, because your car is being charged on excess (otherwise wasted) energy. This will, of course, change as more EVs start sucking up that excess energy- but until then, adding EVs to the grid (as long as we charge them overnight) is super efficient and benefits everyone. Another fact to consider is that every year, the electricity grid gets cleaner. This means your EV gets cleaner every year you own it. The same cannot be said of gas cars or refineries. Finally, in some states like California, an estimated 39% of EV owners have rooftop solar. EV owners tend to be more environmentally conscious. I'm an exception, however. I didn't get my EV for environmental reasons. I got my EV because an electrically driven car feels much more refined than a gas powered car. Instant torque, silent propulsion, linear acceleration- gas cars are so barbaric.

[@shechshire]

Alex on Autos The problem is that you're not taking everything into account. You're speaking as if coal is "dirtier" than petroleum & is not the case. The second thing to take into account is that we don't exclusively rely on coal for electricity. We can also get it from nuclear,hydro, waste, geothermal, solar, & wind. The difference is that petroleum is only but ONE fossil fuel & used in cars for only ONE purpose. It's clear to see which is the inferior limited fuel. EVs will take off as soon as the technology becomes less expensive & we're already starting to see that. I would say in another 8 years we're going to start seeing that 100 mile range start to grow & more stations start to pop up.

[@Frost517]

v8eater2 I'm a mild tree hugger I guess and will point out that in some states like NY we can drive on petroleum plants, hydropower from Niagara falls, and wind power from the western part of the state. Not only do we get to use the more efficient electric motor, and the scaled up electrical grid, but also have more renewable resources of energy on top of it...now I just need to work and live closer. The big problem in upstate NY is that everything is way to spread out...and that renting a car is nearly impossible unless your 25. So if I need a car to take a long trip, I cant rent one for another 2 years when Im 25...its stupid.

[@electrictroy2010]

GREENERCARS website measures USA pollution cycle: From oil well To exhaust, and manufacturing emissions Spark ev 59% clean Prius c 57% Prius 54% Prius v 52% Spark gasoline 51% Tesla model s 46% .

[@Trades46]

This is surprisingly a little gem hidden in GM's portfolio that doesn't get as much exposure as the Volt & other GM products. Surprisingly, the Spark EV share a lot of similarities to the upcoming Bolt EV which looks about the same but this time is built off a EV-designed platform. I have more trust in GM making the Bolt great vs. Tesla's Model 3, simply because it is easier for a corporate giant like GM to build a solid mass-market car than it is for a small luxury maker like Tesla to downscale luxury sedans to a mass-market car that won't lose in terms of build quality & features vs. mass-market brands.

[@oisiaa]

I test drove one today. It was a fun drive.

[@Cyberslug1]

Love the Review's. Tons of info, Reviews not rushed

[@petermainwald6413]

the 2015 is more efficient due to better gearing... 118 miles on a charge is easily obtainable.

[@eaymonddull]

@Naughtysauce what's the best you can realistically get out of it now? And at how many miles (odometer)?

[@kens97sto171]

@Naughtysauce I'm surprised there would be that much degradation? The volt and now the bolt seemed to have very little in the way of degradation. He said this battery is cooled and heated. I would think that would reduce that significantly. About 5% degradation seems to be normal in most EVs generally happening before 50,000 mi and then tapering off to very little more than that from then forward.

[@futbol1972]

what about the 2016?

[@OrtzDavd]

Finally an in depth review on the Spark EV. Thank you (:

[@The-DP79]

Just got one of these as a second car, mostly for my kid to drive this summer. It's so much fun to drive, can't wait to make it my commuter in the fall

[@hellodlo]

great review, very detailed; always enjoy viewing your videos

[@lucristianx]

Very nice video. Though I have already bought this car since the price met my needs. Very detailed and great information that even I didn't know... AND I OWN THE CAR! Excellent work!

[@fanfare100]

VERY nice and thorough review of the Chevy Spark electric. Looks like a very fun and impressively engineered vehicle. I just recently purchased a Mitsubishi Mirage. I'm averaging about 55MPG with it. It's base price is $12,500. The electric Chevy Spark is about $20K after tax incentives and gets about 110 MPG equivalent which is about twice that of the spark. How many years would it take for me to recoup my money had I waited for the eSpark to come out and buy it instead my Mirage? Something else to factor is I get about 400 miles per tank and I won't have to worry about aging batteries 5 years down the road. Happy to see that eCars are coming a long ways! I do believe that they can be priced less expensively but I believe that tax incentives is keeping the price artificially high.

[@mystress9191]

+fanfare100 EV's are so much more fun to drive, it's not always a zero sum game of cost savings. My Smart ED and Tesla Model S are on different sides of the cost equation, but both are brilliant fun to drive, and perfect for their intended purpose. The Smart ED for commuting, the Tesla for family + trips.

[@fanfare100]

BTW, I have an hour-long commute. Last night I got 64mpg avg on my way home from work!

[@reduxith]

Man has this comment aged, its weird looking back at old videos before Teslas and many other EVs became so widespread. EVs have come a long way!

[@TheJoncic]

Enjoy your reviews. Very detailed and informative. You do a great job.

[@geesh8709]

This is a pretty great car, I get 100 miles to charge and kids fit in the back. 10K was paid on lease by taxpayers so I had zero down and a ridiculous 70$ per month. I only pay 70$ per month for three years with zero down and I get carpool lane. It is a no-brainer sincer our wonderful taxpayers paid 10K into my lease. Thanks bitches! I love my leased car!

[@djkenny1202]

These are one of the EXTREMELY rare occasions a Lease makes Sense. Gas would cost as much as the payment. Again, on a regular car.. it is better to NOT Lease. Personally, I want to buy one of these just getting off a Lease with super low miles under 9 grand. Looking.

[@freddydurst5721]

U welcome

[@joeykunz]

Don't mind the grammar nazis Alex. You have the best car reviews on all of KZbin at the moment and I've been watching KZbin reviews a long time. Steve Hammes is great also but you have him beat, more in depth and more thorough reviews. Thanks!

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

appears to be startlingly quiet and gentle-riding for such a small car.

[@wjlambert]

I'd like to protest the mention of dirty / clean power sources at 20:00. I appreciate that Alex mentions the distinction between (Coal / Oil)-generated power Vs. (Hydro / Solar)-generated power, but to say that a Prius is cleaner in a dirty power state is inaccurate. The gasoline that the Prius uses can also come from a dirty power source and it takes an additional 7 kWh just to make one gallon of gasoline. If you were to convert a Prius' use of gasoline to electricity (1 Gal = 33.7 kWh) and take the typical MPG efficiency of 50, the hybrid car would average 1.5 mi / kWh. And to add in that extra 7 kWh of energy to generate the fuel source, reduces the efficiency further to 1.25 mi / kWh. Conversely, if we convert the kWh efficiency of a Chevy Spark to Gasoline (Alex's comment at 16:50 is 4.6 mi / kWh), the MPG should be about 150. It's unfair to count the power generation source of an EV without considering the power generation source of the gasoline vehicle too. It's something that is all too often overlooked and often only noted when someone wants to defame an EV. (Although I don't believe it was Alex's intent to defame the use of an EV)

[@electrictroy2010]

GREENERCARS website measures the USA pollution cycle: From oil well To exhaust, and manufacturing emissions Spark ev 59% clean Prius c 57% Prius 54% Prius v 62% Spark gasoline 51% Tesla model s 46% .

[@lowerlevel2398]

My favourite part is not having to fuel up at a gas station with all the ignorant buggers there.

[@hymlog]

...65 MILES TO WORK... 130 MILES ROUND TIP.. X5 DAYS=650 MILES PER WEEK .. X4 WEEKS=2,600 MILES A MO. X 12 MO. =31,200 A YEAR! IN 6 YEARS 187,200 MILES IN THIS CAR... SO IN 6 YEARS IT'S TIME TO TRADE FOR ANOTHER CAR.... THE DEBT NEVER ENDS. ...65 MILES TO WORK ...YA GOTTA L O V E THAT JOB!!

[@ehut12]

You mean the prndl? (Prindle)

[@howcin]

Ethan Hutsell Do you want am or fmm

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

I like those transitions you've got. I think I may get a set of Versace 1182 made into transitions.

[@thejusticejen]

Alex would you recommend the cloth seats instead. I'm thinking of buying one and want the seats to be durable

[@pantherkent]

My compliments on your in-depth and precise review of the Spark EV - you present quite well and are very easy to listen to. I recently picked up one of these (a 2015) just off lease for just under $10K with only 18K miles. Looking forward to a commute-n-charge lifestyle.

[@StreetersGarage]

Where is the update on the GC project?

[@jedidrummerjake]

Great review! Thank you!

[@JJD3]

THanks for these very thorough and honest reviews. It allows us to see much more then we could doing basic research. You can enhance these reviews of Electric Only Vehicles by at least referencing crash test results. Specifically the discriminating IIHS Front Small Overlap Crash Test. Both the Leaf and the 500e get a "poor" on this test. Unacceptable! if you want to live through a crash. This scoring led Consumer Reports to NOT recommend the Leaf even though its great on all other dimension. This one, the Spark, gets an "acceptable" score - which means a lot to me. (THe Honda Fit also gets an acceptable). Please consider referencing this type of scoring esp for ev's and small cars. THanks.

[@Liefpj]

I see these used Spark EV's for sale in Quebec. Quebec is like our California in terms of environmental breakthroughs. Manitoba should be more like that due to both Provinces being powered by Hydro power. Wonder why he doesn't mention a 2012-2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV. I had one in 2016-19. I now love my new used Bolt.

[@Swampster70]

Nice video but it doesn't do enough to really describe how much fun it is to drive. With the stock tires it's nice and torquey, one can only imagine what it'd be like with something grippier. I have an old Camaro with a big block and an S2000 and even this car made me smile. My commute car, a 2005 Prius with 258,000 miles, completely lacks fun but is ungodly reliable. If the Spark is as reliable as the Prius and DC Fast Charge takes off, it may be a tough choice between this and a possible Tesla Model E. With the DC Fast Charge (we just got a charging station in Vacaville - along with two Telsa charging stations btw) it's a very viable in town solution right now, without imposing too much on your home electric usage. If (maybe when) the DC Fast Charge standard takes off, this would be a great car for looning around town in. Did the SCCA racer and ex High Performance guru at GM, John Heinricy have a hand in this car?

[@SillyBilly5689]

Great review! I love my Chevy Volt.

[@fanfare100]

I love the Chevy Volt. Too bad they discontinued them. I thought they were going in a good direction. But such are the mainstream car manufacturers. That other EV they killed also had the best drag coefficient. Oh well. Perhaps if they keep snoozing, Tesla will soon eat their lunch. Tesla has more american parts in it than GM puts in their cars too. GM needs to wake up. I believe it is sleeping on its laurels.

[@UNSP0KENSILENCE]

Alex! I love your videos! So intuitive, and you tell me all the lil things I want to know, and not just the things anyone can find in a brochure. Its also nice to see all the awesome scenery when you do the road trip. Get GM to shout you a new suit next time though, you look far older in those clothes!

[@dbkorinek]

You said the Nissan Leaf was only about a second slower to 60 than the Spark, but last I herd the leaf takes about 10 seconds to get to 60.

[@kooky216]

I enjoy your reviews! Just a comment: 1:00 There's no need to apologize, just explain. And why would you apologize to GM? That sounds odd to me.

[@mystress9191]

+kooky216 GM lent him the car for a week to do the review, so yes, he was saying sorry for a review that wasn't up to Alex's usual standard, even though personally I think this is a fine review regardless.

[@elymendoza6299]

Hi Alex, As always great job with this review! One thing i would like to suggest though if you could is that when you start taking the vehicle out on the road to give your driving impressions is if you can mix in some beauty shots of the vehicle and clips of them being driven out on the road. I think it will break up just seeing the road in front of you when you get to that part of your review. Can't wait for the next one!

[@katiecannon8186]

This was an adorable car!!!! I live it! It should be brought back. Especially with that 400 pounds of torque 😁

[@coletteclark9900]

what does a code 65 mean on a chevy spark

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Dirk Diggler, Yikes! It has been too long. I need to spend some time this weekend on that video.

[@electrictroy2010]

+Alex on Autos SEEING you talk to nothing is amusing. You should do that more often ;-)

[@islandgirl103]

Alex, have you reviewed the Ford Focus Electric? I'd be interested to see what you think of that model.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

I think that's the only EV I have never driven. They are pretty rare in the test fleets but I'll see what I can find. On the surface the Focus is by far the most "traditional car" of the bunch. The Focus also has a nice interior in most trim levels and I like the way it drives. It is one of the pricier options, but in general you get what you pay for.

[@islandgirl103]

Alex on Autos Just to second another commenter, I'd be interested to see a review of the 2014 Ford C-Max as well.

[@ShelbyPaget]

Hey Alex - Can you drive from Santa Clara (say santana row) to Capitola and back with this car?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

That's about the maximum of the range of the Spark.

[@djkenny1202]

You can just find a quick charging station, too. Be sure to buy an EV with a Quick Charge.

[@manoman0]

3:35 - You mention the Spark's seats as being some of the less comfortable in this class. Another video review mentions them as some of the best.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Another of mine? I don't recall ever saying they were that comfy. I think it depends on your body shape especially without adjustable lumbar support. Keep in mind that a regular Spark competes with the Versa, Mirage, et al and the seats are fine for that class. The Spark EV oddly enough competes with the LEAF, 500e, Fit EV, Focus EV, etc so by virtue of price and the EV drivetrain it pushes it into a different competitive set.

[@manoman0]

Alex on Autos No, not in another of your videos. It's just a bit confusing as one expert says the seats are good and you do not. They don't really look that great, frankly. But then again, it's not a Cadillac.

[@Kylo_Ren_2033]

What would happen if the car is run out of battery ?

[@AutoBuyersGuidePodcast]

In simple terms it would just stop moving. If you didn't charge it, then over a period of time the batteries would degrade, but the protection circuitry make sure to stop things before that happens.

[@mystress9191]

+Stark What happens when you forget to fuel your car? We own two EV's and have NEVER run out of fuel/electricity. 22000 km of EV driving without a single dollar spent on maintenance or gas!

[@RenoWeed]

Does Chevrolet offer the Spark Ev with a sunroof to open in hot weather. it could help to save power raNGE THEN IF I DON T USE AC THEN.

[@djkenny1202]

Generally, AC at higher speeds is more efficient than opening a window or SR. Wind Drag.

[@lehr6651]

How much does it cost?

[@ayanafletcher7897]

LE HR 7,000-13,000 it is pretty cheap

[@GANTZ100pts]

so they are charging close to 30k for this car and it barely gets a hundred miles to charge and yet expect us to believe that they're bolt will cost 30k and go 200 miles to a charge.

[@electrictroy2010]

+GANTZ100pts The Bolt is designed from the beginning to be an EV so they'll have room for a double-sized battery .

[@ideclarejoshua]

Trunk comfort?

[@futbol1972]

They are selling me a 2014 spark EV 2LT with 66,748 miles for $8995. I test drove it today and the car its fun to drive..he charged it all the way up and it said 81max miles. Unfrotunally the screen was not responding very well so he said he will replace it..iam trading my 2009 touring Prius with 126000 miles and dealer will givenme $4000 for it. What do u guys think. I drove it for 10 miles one way freeway and city and it say energy used 2.4kwh don't know what this means..weather was 92 outside and had ac at 68. I drive it for 20 miles round trip and it waisted 19 miles I believed.

[@mibars]

This electric econobox based on Matiz has similar 0-60 as my 24 years old VTEC Honda... Well, progress :)

[@electrictroy2010]

+mibars TESLA model s does 0-60 in three seconds. Do any of your Hondas (old or new) do that? .

[@mibars]

I think you didn't get that: I mean that this cheap electric car is actually fast. Who would ever thought 25 years ago that it would be possible to buy basic electric car (that actually is a proper car) with a hot hatch performance? Back then electric cars were both goofy or had performance of a golf cart.

[@katiecannon8186]

@@mibars. I so want a modern electric hot hatch.

[@yandelayaguilar5051]

The highlight of this video is alex getting into the trunk and talks while he is uncomfortable 😂😂😂

[@Putnik268]

Купили еv довольны как удав😄

[@SirtubalotTX]

These latest EVs are getting more intriguing but I'm not ready to get on board with them quite yet, mainly because there is not enough range. I think Plugin Hybrids and Range Extended EVs are more palatable, even with the greater costs. Also, torque is not horsepower. This thing might have more torque than a given Ferrari but it certainly does not make more power. If you don't understand the difference between horsepower and torque, go study the math and it will eventually make sense. The Spark EV is definitely quick enough however for urban driving and looks like it might even be a little fun. Alex is also wise to walk carefully around the coal and battery debate. Personally, I don't see any problems with batteries as long as they are manufactured correctly and then recycled properly. Coal? Not going to get into that too much but let's just say I'm more concerned about the damage mining coal does to the environment than it's emissions from burning. Anthropological global warming is a fraud and a farce that merely exists to provide more power and taxes to the charlatans trying to exploit it. (Don't get me started on that) Good review Alex.. keep up the good work.

[@albertcowsky6358]

I think you should take a look at the Tesla Model S. Tesla may not be making cheap cars quite yet, but the S meets your range and power requirements nicely.

[@TXSirtubalot]

Albert Cowsky Yea, no kidding. I actually want a Model D... badly.

[@robinsss]

Sir Tubalot "I think Plugin Hybrids and Range Extended EVs are more palatable, even with the greater costs." that doesn't sound logical why would an extended range vehicle be a better deal even if it costs more?

[@djkenny1202]

We have over 60% renewable energy in our municipality. Also, many folks have added solar to their home making it completely neutral carbon wise. By far, dossil fuels at the pump cause more damage.

[@tll1975]

thanks, well done.

[@josephjohn907]

Nice one but you don't do EV videos anymore

[@icoombs73]

Chev should make a rwd one of these to race agaist Brz. Could be a fun ride

[@williamstevenson8518]

single camera is perfect for a chevy spark

[@BTC909]

The range only gets me to some of my destinations and sometimes would have 110V charging available. Another great review. Be sure to buy SanDisk flash cards.

[@mogonji]

Can you do a review on the 2014 Ford C-Max?

[@BTC909]

Who cares, it's getting a refresh for 2015. One of the 18 million NEW models Ford is releasing in 2014.

[@tahanlaoboy]

Great car look like the US jobs are coming back to the American people again

[@mystress9191]

+Aire Lao The Spark EV is made in Korea. GM completely outsourced this one. The Volt is far more US content, and the Tesla is made in California.

[@electrictroy2010]

+Mystr Ess IT'Swhere the money goes that matters. 1/4 of the money goes to the plant or mine workers in Korea, but the rest of it returns to Detroit for engineers, management, designers, stockholders .

[@RahilSethi]

Your phone batteries are not manufactured in US, so why would your car's?

[@luiggimondoli]

Electric vehicles... That battery is still to much trouble, I know is the beginnings of this stuff but I rather wait until it becomes more practical and affordable or they develop a better fuel.

[@electrictroy2010]

+TheLuismondo What's the problem with the battery? .

[@myphonyaccount]

Perfectly light weight and handling unlike all the 200+ mile cars. GM needs to bring this car back as the level 3 QUICK CHARGE network grows (not the plentiful level 2 charge). Filter "CCS/COMBO plug" on www.plugshare.com

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

If you don't mind driving a plug-in, plastic econobox... I'd rather buy a DART GT.

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

My vacations are where I FLY to a state or country and rent a small car. I never do long road trips.

[@manoman0]

400NM torque. No shaking, no rattling, no torque lag, linear acceleration, no gas, no gear shifting, less complex, easy to use, no disgusting fumes...

[@manoman0]

***** LOL!

[@noonesbusiness959]

That Dart will break down daily😂😂

[@X02switchblades]

I imagine people on the internet are so pathetic that you had to preemptively apologize before they attacked you! O TEMPORA O MORES That awkward camera take is better than you think I have seen it in many shows.

[@de-bodgery]

No idea what you drive normally. 0-60 in 7.6 seconds is slow. You act like this car is fast. I guess you drive a Prius or some other seriously under powered car. Personally...7.6 seconds is embarrassingly slow. I'd say sub 5 seconds to 60mph is moderately quick, but nothing to get really excited about.

[@rtz549]

Someone get one of these on a dyno and prove out the 400 tq claim.

[@Neojhun]

I'm guessing the 400 lb/ft is conservervative, beig a nice round nubmer. Quite sure on a dyno it'll be a little over 400lb/ft. Low max speed electric motors tend to be torquey.

[@boblazarrss]

I would have laughed so hard if when he opened that glove box.There was a gun in it

[@pioneer7777777]

"Spark looses a bit of cargo" Should be "loses"

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Thanks for catching that, my proofreading left something to be desired today.

[@tabcan]

I don't understand why these small cars need to look like clown cars. Who can look at it from the back and not think of it as a clown car? That's the number one reason I wouldn't buy one, and I'm guessing I'm not alone.

[@AlainHubert]

Cheap materials, poor range, poor brakes, ugly as can be, and expensive for what it offers. I'll pass. But great review nonetheless. Don't apologize to GM, because they should apologize to you for offering this ugly golf-cart-with-a-roof for you to review in the first place.

[@jmdf7274]

I will remember to stay back extra distance from these cars, I fear my 300C SRT would suck this thing through the intake . Last thing I need is a liberal Hippie hung up in the Catalytic converter.

[@ortafunk]

why are there Not Road Fairies that take You and Your vehicle from city to city? the Road Fairies could use Hydrogen or natural gas or Bio Diesel and It recharges Your batteries too. I built a Electric Bicycle for around $625.00 20 mile per hour for 15 miles enough to make It the highway to a Road Fairy station, They made school bus transportation system work why can Not make Road Fairies work?

[@helpyourcattodrive]

I love mine, mine is all gas.

[@matthewsfrawley]

I would rather pay double for the BMW i3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!