DC fast charging Spark EV

[@TRYtoHELPyou]

My leaf used to start dropping right away, the spark EV is super awesome at fast charging! Great video!

[@leedasilvajr]

please no background music

[@kyliefan7]

Lee Da Silva How come some KZbinrs can only have free baby music in the background and others can have cool electronic music??? I would vote zero music if we have to listen to this garbage song....it kinda distracts from the content because I can barely hear him.

[@leedasilvajr]

Matt Barnes It’s all about content license there is some free stuff out there

[@kyliefan7]

Lee Da Silva Yeah I hope they know there is some really cool music out there that is free to use...I googled it and came up on the first search!

[@TrainsFerriesFeet]

I don't understand the infatuation with background music, it makes people hard to understand.

[@TommyboyGTP]

Fantastic video! The twinkle toes music in the background however was super annoying! Subbed for more Spark videos :-)

[@donaldwright2426]

Je pense sérieusement m'acheter un Spark EV même si j'ai déjà Une Kona électrique. J'ai toujours aimé cette petite voiture!

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Mine was a good car here in Quebec.

[@thelondonbroiler]

Never knew you could hold the power button in the radio to boot it up while the car is off, thanks! The Spark EV is really an awesome city car. I commute right at 100km roundtrip daily in my 2015, which is becoming more challenging in winter, without the ability to charge at work. Happy travels.

[@manp1039]

I was wondering about a possible way to increase range in icy weathere by using a set of much thinner lower resistance rear wheels that could be stored in the car.. and also some kind of insulated bag system that could keep the vehicle and its battery warm . I have a couple ideas for that.. very low cost and insulating THis could also be used as an emergency thermal insulation unit allowing a person to stay protected from the cold in case of an emergency. as well as keep all the liquid and snow off the paint and undersid while in the bag.

[@kyliefan7]

thelondonbroiler Coolness!! It also works on my Chevy Bolt! Thanks!

[@BillHolleyWRH]

This fully electric car is 6 years old and has 90,000 on the clock. Still going strong with 16kwh currently, down only a little from the original usable 18.4 kwh, 21kwh total. Costs me $27 a month to run this car and there has been no maintenance cost to this day. You can buy a used one in the States for as little as $4000 to $6000.

[@Solkre82]

And unlike the Leafs in the same price range, the battery pack is thermally managed.

[@mike_t_007]

How is she holding up in 2022?

[@BillHolleyWRH]

@@mike_t_007 sold it last year and bought a 2020 Bolt. It was great at time of sale.

[@mychevysparkevdidntcatchfi1489]

Great video! SparkEV puts to shame all other cars when it comes to DC fast charging at 2.6C to 3C charge rate all the way to 80%. Some day in distant future, other EV will hopefully catch up.

[@Greybone62]

Thank You. That was a useful Test for those of us who is used to Metric distances..

[@DanGrab]

Never thought to slip my Spark EV into Neutral before a stop sign with the snow now. Thanks for the tip!

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Great, glad to help!

[@Adrian_Lee6113]

Thanks for the video! We were gonna get a Bolt but a little outside our price range, even with all incentives. Found the Spark for 1/3 the price.👍🏻

[@amkazan7821]

Super! Congratulations from Kazan, Tatarstan!

[@fatboy19831]

Fantastic car, Gm was doing this 5 years ago. I believe the spark-Ev was proof of concept for the Bolt. GM should put this drivetrain in a more modern car.

[@jpl9148]

Thanks for the video. What awful music. The background noise is better

[@samueljackson856]

Lol i was laughing harder and harder every time the music loop would start over 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@manp1039]

THanks for sharing this video. I am in USA.. I have driven a Spark EV for over a year, a few different ones actually. None of them had fast chargin installed. I was getting a range of about 90-100 miles per charge (that would be about 160km). I was averaging about 5-6 miles per kwh. I am guessing your spark EV was ajusting your over all mileage based on your road and environment conditions? I am guessing lots of energy drainage from driving in snow and ice and water covered roads? And that when it is drive and ice and snow free, your range jumps up damatically to nearer to 160 km per charge?

[@didtoknan8128]

10:08 that was a stop sign ...

[@wk5981]

Hi, a stupid question here but I live in a probably similar climate, in Chicago so we definitely could get rough winters and not just for a day or two. I know in general any battery doesn’t like cold and by that I don’t mean how their performance my deteriorate in those temperatures but I mean how they can get damaged by just sitting out there in the cold but maybe I am panicking, they would get damaged by sitting in such a cold for extended period of time let’s say a couple weeks and without charge. If they are constantly kept at full charge then exposure to those temperatures for days or even a couple weeks shouldn’t be a problem, yes? I don’t know, is GM or any other company making electric cars telling anything about general care of the battery packs during winter months?

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi wk5981, Cold has an impact on range but generally it doesn’t damage the batteries. Heat is the real killer (when we talk about battery degradation, not range). When ever leaving the Spark for long periods in extreme temps it’s best to leave it plugged into a 110 so the thermo management system can work to regulate the battery temp. Currently, GM has great battery management systems and very good batteries in their vehicles. They also have pre heat or cool that you can manually use to help.

[@fakexloser]

I almost crashed my volt on the highway when in regen L mode on the highway... Good video

[@petersachs764]

Are those Canadian amps because my 2015 never gets far past 100A on the EVGO chargers here on the Massachusetts Turnpike?

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi Peter, that’s pretty funny, Canadian Amps. Different charger companies have different charger rates. Ours for the most part are 50kw - 400V @ 125amps. Although, I did use an EVduty 50kw fast charger the other day and it never got above 88amps at 388 volts. Took 10 min long at that rate to charge my 2014 Spark.

[@Emilthehun]

This is pretty cool! I think this little car would be a good entry into the electronic cars.

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Emilthehun, look for my first video, you will find that that is exactly why we bought the Spark EV.

[@Emilthehun]

@@BillHolleyWRH I shall check it out! Been planning on buying one of these since it came out , but can't get over the whole range scare lmao!

[@manp1039]

were you using front and/or rear defroster or were u using any heating system to heat the air in passenger compartment in this drive? I noticed the front defroster system and the heat system that creates hot air through the blowers sucks alot of energy.. The reear window defroster also uses alot of energy.. I noticed though that the I can save energy when needing to keep warm by just turning on the seat heater from time to time to warm the blood circulating around lower back and but area.. and it seems to provide enough warmth.. although I am not sure how well that solution would work in very very sub zero temps that it looked like you were driving in. I am exploring designing a portable 3kwh external battery pack that can be charged on an ev charger (J1772) system. I am thinking another advantage that would have is additional source of power for some heating systems.. and it too could be charged by a second EV Charging port.. allowing both the car and the external pack to be charged simultaneously with their own J1772 power source.

[@nickkerridge]

Just bought one. Love it!

[@pioneer7777777]

Would you recommend buying one of these? I currently own a 2014 Sonic and am debating adding this as a 3rd car We have a LEAF as the other vehicle. Tempting because of the low prices

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi pioneer7777777, I guess it all depends on the distances you need to travel on a regular basis. We drive the Spark EV + - 60km a day 5 days a week all year. For our daily travel needs, for that car, it works for us. We are getting between 70 - 80km in our winter climate and up to 130km in above +5 celsius. Here in Quebec, Canada, we have a great fast charging infrastructure and i often drive 300km on the weekends with the Spark travelling back and forth from the ski hills. The Spark only takes 15min to charge to 80% on a 50kw fast charger at 397V at 125amps..

[@pioneer7777777]

@@BillHolleyWRH I think I decided I'll stick it out with my gas car for the next few years and continue to save up for a longer range EV or a longer range PHEV in about 2024. The payback for adding in a 3rd vehicle is just not there for me. Thanks for the response

[@BillHolleyWRH]

pioneer7777777 thank you for stopping by!

[@cautacio]

Do you think the spark ev is Worth in cold winter places like there?

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi Jonn, I guess it all depends on the distances you need to travel on a regular basis. We drive the Spark EV + - 60km a day 5 days a week all year. For our daily travel needs, for that car, it works for us. We are getting between 70 - 80km in our winter climate and up to 130km in above +5 celsius. Here in Quebec, Canada, we have a great fast charging infrastructure and i often drive 300km on the weekends with the Spark travelling back and forth from the ski hills. The Spark only takes 15min to charge to 80% on a 50kw fast charger at 397V at 125amps..

[@cautacio]

@@BillHolleyWRH wow, it's good to know thanks!

[@gorlier5388]

Hi I really like your video! I'm looking to buy a spark EV what should I look for in particular in a use one.. keep up the good 👍🏾👍🏾

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Make sure you get a remaining propulsion battery capacity read out from seller.Main propulsion Battery health below 15.6 kwh hours would be a tough sell for me. Then the 12 volt battery health, the rest is normal car stuff. A week 12 volt will result in strange behavior of the electrics like radio, door locks, starting problems, remote key recognition... Most problems that are experienced with the Spark are related to the 12 volt being week.

[@crey3817]

The fast charge option is not standard with all Sparks. I unfortunately found that out too late

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Oh no, sorry to hear that. Still a great car, just more planning needed.

[@Peter-st1lt]

Great video Bill! Got a really good look at Dunany this time LOL! Thanks for the footnote! I noticed at the Sauveur charger it looks like a new CCS cable, have you noticed? Reason I asked, it's been a while since I tried to charge there and I always had problems. I might try it again in the future if it has.

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi Peter, Thanks. I did not notice a new cable. I charge there twice a week in the winter (seldom in summer months) and have had no issues over the past 2 winters. You have?

[@Peter-st1lt]

Ya I sure have! I've been able to charge maybe 2 times in 10, I end up charging in St Adele at that Esso close to the bridge for Mont Rolland, at least it's on the way home for me. My car's going in for a diagnostic, regarding those check engine lights I get.

[@mikethemicguy]

Awesome Video! How does driving it on the interstate effect the range? I heard it reduces it, but it seemed like you kept your range.

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi Mike, That’s what they say, but in my case it does really well on the highway. That being said, I also drive 45 to 55 miles an hour on the highway. I have a few more videos about driving the Spark on my channel.

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi Mike, That’s what they say, but in my case it does really well on the highway. That being said, I also drive 45 to 55 miles an hour on the highway. I have a few more videos about driving the Spark on my channel.

[@mikethemicguy]

@@BillHolleyWRH Thanks! I made sure to subscribe!

[@manp1039]

@@BillHolleyWRH what pressure are you keeping your tires at? I know that it may also be advantageous for better grip in ice and snow to keep tire pressures lower and then when on smooth dry asfault can put the tires to maximum pressure for least resistance and maximum energy efficiency.

[@mychevysparkevdidntcatchfi1489]

Your battery capacity estimate: Start=17% 1.4kWh, end=80% 12.2 kWh. (12.2-1.4)/(.8-.17)=17.1 kWh. Not too bad.

[@samusaran7317]

I wonder why it couldn't charge closer to 15amps like some cars.

[@BillHolleyWRH]

The Spark EV can charge at 12amps all day long. It defaults to 8amps on 110 house (the Bolt does this too) because some house hold 15amp circuits can’t handle 12amps. If your 110 can handle 12amps, you switch the setting to 12amps in the car. You can imagine that if you plugged into a 110 to charge and the breaker kept popping because it couldn’t handle the draw at 12amps what would you do to charge your car? This way you can still use that circuit at 8amps. The Spark is limited to 3.3kwh for charging. It takes about 4 hours to charge from empty to 100% on 240 and 20min to 80% on level 3. On Level 3 it beats most cars on fast charging time.

[@samusaran7317]

@@BillHolleyWRH A small oversight on my comment. *14 amps*

[@samusaran7317]

@@BillHolleyWRH Thank you for the breakdown on charging. I may consider one down the road but won't be for a few years since I already own a city ev. My dad loves his bolt

[@BillHolleyWRH]

@@samusaran7317 ya, we just bought a 2020 Bolt.

[@greenfirefly26]

is yours EV 2LT version?

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Yes, 2LT.

[@peterdaniel66]

I love how the big little hood over the vents shows only the seat belt status. Really? That all they could do? LOL

[@Chrisb8s]

Very cool

[@chrisl4709]

Spark charges super slow at home and not that fast on fast charger compared to my 2017 ioniq and with the ioniq i am not scared that it wont like the charger like the spark!

[@BillHolleyWRH]

4 years tech difference and 2 very different cars Chris. And about $30,000 difference in price. The Spark is an entry level city commuter car that I pushed to its limits. 20min to charge to 80% on DCFC and 3.5hrs to 100% on level 2 at my home.

[@chrisl4709]

Wait till you have problems getting it to acctually charge!

[@BillHolleyWRH]

Hi Chris, What are you referring to? You are aware I bought this car 5 years ago, right? 90,000 km on it.

[@jymjym777]

Kill the music!!!!

[@davidtettleton2732]

Hate the music

[@Greybone62]

I have heard worse in other Automotive KZbin Videos..

[@robertolson7304]

the average hybrid lasted just under 4 years. then you have to buy a 4-10k battery. how much interest are you paying for that car loan? I bet a used car for 3k will be better on the environment. why. its already built. the parts are all ready built. it will put out less carbon then a hybrid or electric for 4 years life span. most power plants are natural gas.. lol. my monthly payment on a used car is 3k up front cash for the car. cheap insurance.. about $50 a month on maintenance. vs. $300+ a month for a car loan. plus high insurance. That car will last 250K if oiled properly. a eclectic car. may be 100k in miles. most never make it that far

[@Xithia]

A quick google search shows that last year an article was written about a Tesla with over 600,000 miles, and while an ev is worse for the environment from mile 0 compared to a gas car. The biggest difference between the two is that the gas car continues to produce CO2 the electric car will TECHNICLY produce CO2 with the use of electricity, but how much is dependent on location, and even if you get 100% of your energy from coal, the worst culprit for carbon emissions, the ev will come ahead of a gas car, simply because it is more efficient to generate energy at a large scale than at a small scale so the ev will go much much further per unit of emission than a gas car, and last much longer. again the 600,000 mile ev vs the maybe 250,000 mile car. That's ignoring the false comparison between hybrid batteries and true ev batteries. Hybrid batteries are low capacity, always discharging and recharging, and made using NiMH, the same stuff in AA batteries and air cooled, thus they experience MANY more cycles at higher temperatures and wear much faster, they are cheaper though. While EVs use LiPO, making them more expensive, but with that they can get much more capacity, are water cooled (Except older leafs, look up their reliability its sad) and are designed for long term use. For example the prius that I had before my Bolt had about a .7 kw battery pack getting me about .75 miles on flat ground (max speed 15 mph all electric) the hybrid battery warranty was until 100,000 miles over that distance, assuming the best for the prius the battery pack would cycle 133,000 times vs my Bolt which has the same warranty but has a 60 kw battery with the range dependent on the speed, I used to have a 100 mile commute on the freeway with little traffic so I would only get 180 miles at most but even the over 100,000 miles the battery would only cycle 555 times. Now to mention the Leaf in the room, the leaf is an unfortunate case, with 30 kw battery pack giving a paltry 85 miles on a good day with perfect temperature and no hills, it is a compliance car through and through, built only to comply to the total manufacture emissions requirements, its air cooled battery and horrendous efficiency paired with the gimped battery design makes them notorious for its battery degradation, constant battery replacements and range of about 40 miles in the real world. It became the perfect anti ev lightning pole. So yes the Leaf may only last about 100k miles at most, but if you really want to know the REAL TRUTH actually do some research, my favorite way is to look at a problem from the rose tinted goggles of the other side and try to really dig in and see if what they say is even close to what is true or even readily accepted as the truth. An ev is not for everyone, yet, it is still a compromise, more so with non Tesla evs, the road trip infrastructure is not as robust as it should be, it requires you to plan trips, A better route planer is about the best there is. But if you never road trip and only commute, than a ev is the best thing there is, even if you can't charge at home, just charge while you shop, or eat, or do anything else, it is the cheapest to run and apart from the tires has no manufacture recommended maintenance until mile 150k.

[@robertolson7304]

destroying your battery. fast charging. lol. it rots out the batteries.. does it charge all the batteries at once or is it like a chain. if its a chain. the first ones always burn out. imagine charging and pulling from all the batteries at once. you wouldn't be able to afford the battery then. it was also be very massive. to many defects to track down. electrical fires.

[@nickkerridge]

They are fun though

[@Xithia]

From what I have seen the effect of fast charging cars is minimal and dependent on the specific car, as some battery packs handle differently to fast charging than others, yes it is harder on the battery but not catastrophically harder. It MAY reduce total capacity but we are talking about single digit percentages here. Secondly I don't know what you mean with electrical fires, from what I have seen the main causes in ev electrical fires are major crashes, major defects, or poorly made foreign ones. But even then it's not like non evs ever catch fire right? I mean they only carry highly flammable gas around and combust it, I am sure that regular cars almost never catch fire.