GM moves beyond hybrids with electric Chevy Spark sales, NV2 test fleets

Chevrolet today announced it will sell an all-electric version of its upcoming Chevy Spark minicar in California and other worldwide markets, starting in 2013.

This puts the maker of the Chevrolet Volt, an electric car that also has a gas engine, in league with other automakers such as Nissan, Ford, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Honda, BMW, and Smart, in developing a purely electric car. The electric spark will sell alongside the plug-in gas-electric Chevrolet Volt, presumably at a much lower price

The Spark, a new model that will debut next year, is an upright subcompact shorter than a Honda Fit, but nearly as tall as a Kia Soul. GM announced that the electric Spark will use advanced lithium batteries from American supplier A123 systems.

No details about battery capacity were disclosed, but based on the competition, it would be expected to have a range of about 80 miles and take four to eight hours to recharge from a dedicated 240-volt electric-car charger.

In separate news, GM announced it will introduce pilot fleets of Segway electric-scooter based NV2 urban pod vehicles in several cities around the world. Along with BMW, Smart, Mitsubishi, and others, automakers are developing electric cars as a response to increasing global urbanization and the growth of mega-cities around the world and to meet upcoming electric vehicle mandates in California.

—Eric Evarts