Chevrolet has just revealed the new Spark EV, a completely electric car, with no range extender, or anything similar to that. It is powered by an oil-cooled, permanent magnet motor which GM claims has at least 100 kW, which equates to 135 hp - it also has a reported 400 lb-ft of torque, which equates to 542 Nm (in theory, at least).
This means that performance is spritely, with the Spark EV accelerating to 100 km/h (62 mph), in under 8 seconds, as Chuck Russel, Spark EV Chief Engineer, said: “When our team set out to develop the propulsion system for Spark EV, we knew we had to provide surprising fun-to-drive acceleration with maximum efficiency,”
He added: “What we think customers will enjoy most is how fun Spark EV is to drive; it’s seamless and power is available at every stage of the drive [. . .] This will help us to provide an exciting option for those customers who are looking for an EV that’s as much fun to drive as it is environmentally responsible.”
The Spark EV draws juice from a lithium-ion battery pack, with a capacity of at least 20 kWh, which is mounted under the rear seats and in the boot - it can be charged up to 80% of its capacity in around 20 minutes using a fast charger, while a full charge at normal voltage will take seven hours.
Google News