Chevrolet Spark EV

[nosuchthing]

I should be getting a call tomorrow my 1LT White is in Novato Chevy. Pretty excited about it. I'm hoping to lease 3 years at 200 plust tax and 999 down with $2,500 Ca rebate. Not a bad deal considering that I'll save about 100 bucks a month by not buying gas.

I had the dealer drive with me to my house and test my Aerovironment 220 charger. It did not blink (pun). All worked flawlessly. Blue light came on and that was it. Dealer told me that once you lock the car and start charging the alarm will go off if you or someone unplugs it. Gotta learn more about that.

One more thing - correction - that Eco gear is indeed called L not 2 as I wrote earlier. Need glasses, you know.

This is going to be my kid's college commuter and our family's San Fran car since Leaf can no longer make the trip (down to 65 mile range).

 

[surfingslovak]

Blue light came on and that was it. Dealer told me that once you lock the car and start charging the alarm will go off if you or someone unplugs it. Gotta learn more about that.

You might be able to disarm that, it's possible on the Volt at least. If I recall correctly, there is a preference for it in the settings menu, and the alarm is not be activated, if you lock the doors manually.

 

[TonyWilliams]

This is going to be my kid's college commuter and our family's San Fran car since Leaf can no longer make the trip (down to 65 mile range).

I drove a Chevy Spark EV from full to empty today on the uber high tech San Diego test track. Your son will LOVE the range. Report later.

 

[TonyWilliams]

From Spark Forum:

GM also has no current plans to roll this car out in other states. I went to the 6 hour Spark EV training last week, this was all confirmed by GM trainers. Not saying it will never happen, they don't have plans for it.

Exactly what I had guessed. Thanks for verifying this.

 

[scottf200]

This is going to be my kid's college commuter and our family's San Fran car since Leaf can no longer make the trip (down to 65 mile range).

I drove a Chevy Spark EV from full to empty today on the uber high tech San Diego test track. Your son will LOVE the range. Report later.

Well that sounds promising if you capitalized LOVE :shock:

 

[Nashco]

Great news! It's not official yet, but PSU continues to blaze trails in providing EV infrastructure. To Tony, with LOVE:

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2013/08/new-ev-quick-charger-hits-oregon.html?page=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oregon’s electric vehicle charging network could get a new quick charger that supports several big-name automakers’ EVs.

As such, the addition of the J1772 “combo charger” that would allow for faster EV powering in Oregon could help set the stage for a showdown between the two or three most prevalent fast-charging standards.

Oregon’s electric vehicle advocates are negotiating with auto industry officials to provide the first Society of Automotive Engineers-backed J1772 combo quick charger, which would be installed at the Electric Avenue charging station showcase on Portland State University’s campus.

The combo plug works on the just-released Chevrolet Spark EV and the BMW i3, which will hit the market later this year.

George Beard, of PSU’s office of Research and Strategic Partnerships, expects the SAE combo plug to appear on Electric Avenue by the end of the year.

That the SAE quick charger will appear in Oregon at all could signify the beginning of a standards issue that nearly everyone involved with the issue equates to a “VHS versus Betamax” battle.

Fast chargers can dramatically improve EVs’ charging time to 30 minutes or less, as opposed to hours for lower-capacity charging units.

And while it’s early in the game, most of quick chargers in the U.S. are based on the Japanese standard called CHAdeMO, which is supported by Nissan and Mitsubishi.

About two dozen CHAdeMO chargers are operating in Oregon.

However, such manufacturers as Ford, General Motors, BMW and Volkswagen favor the SAE-backed J1772 quick charger.

“We’re looking at a potential schism, a Sophie’s Choice between the competing standards,” said Beard. “Can public entities in Oregon afford to support multiple standards at a time of constricted budgets?”

Beard and Jeff Allen, director of the state’s EV industry cluster Drive Oregon, believe the issue will start coming to a head as more electric Fords and Chevys, as well as VWs and BMWs, make their way to Oregon’s roads.

“Of course we want to be the first” state in the region to get an SAE quick charger, said Allen. “We’d be at the epicenter ... but we also want people to be able to buy whatever kind of electric car they want to buy and use it here. And, we want the companies to sell all their electric vehicles here.”

As it becomes obvious which type of quick charger users need or prefer, there’s a third entrant as well: Tesla has its own “supercharger” made for its high-end EVs.

Bryce

 

[GRA]

Owner's manual here:

http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam/Chevrolet/northamerica/usa/nscwebsite/en/Home/Ownership/Manuals%20and%20Videos/02_pdf/2k14spark_ev.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[nosuchthing]

GRA thanks much for the manual PDF. Very helpful.

My car is in. Did not catch them on that front plate. I'll have to think about that (i.e. remove or not to remove).
Hate front plates. Most of my cars don't have them.

So, yeah...take me to jail.

Anyway, I just had to run to the dealer to see that baby.
So here is the teaser shot. Pick up tomorrow.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Great news! It's not official yet, but PSU continues to blaze trails in providing EV infrastructure. To Tony, with LOVE.

"George Beard, of PSU’s office of Research and Strategic Partnerships, expects the SAE combo plug to appear on Electric Avenue by the end of the year".

Bad news for you.

1) This has nothing to do with the West Coast Electric Highway

2) Those Electric Avenue chargers are donated (this one probably by GM, since they JUST met with George when they did the Spark EV gala in Portland)

3) GM is telling their mechanis that the Spark EV has no plans to be outside California and Oregon

4) Frankenplug = DOA

 

[Nashco]

Great news! It's not official yet, but PSU continues to blaze trails in providing EV infrastructure. To Tony, with LOVE.

"George Beard, of PSU’s office of Research and Strategic Partnerships, expects the SAE combo plug to appear on Electric Avenue by the end of the year".

Bad news for you.

1) This has nothing to do with the West Coast Electric Highway

2) Those Electric Avenue chargers are donated (this one probably by GM, since they JUST met with George when they did the Spark EV gala in Portland)

3) GM is telling their mechanis that the Spark EV has no plans to be outside California and Oregon

4) Frankenplug = DOA

Bad news for you.

1) You dress poorly.

2) Money for nothing, and chicks for free.

3) I believe many things I read on the internet, but not all.

4) One of the members in D.O.A. is named Joey Shithead.

Seriously, your points are unnecessary. The West Coast Electric Highway is awesome. PSU's Electric Avenue is awesome. They are not related. PSU was the first place in Portland with a variety of DC fast chargers in form of chademo units as well as many other J1772 units. Electric Avenue has been a great kickoff to real EV infrastructure exposure here in Portland/Oregon/Pacific Northwest, which has some of the best EV infrastructure in the nation. I'm happy to see this college continuing their public research with the latest in DC charging standards, especially as the first vehicles using the latest standard (Spark EV) are expected to be rolled out in the same location very soon.

Bryce

 

[TonyWilliams]

Bad news for you.

1) You dress poorly.

2) Money for nothing, and chicks for free.

3) I believe many things I read on the internet, but not all.

4) One of the members in D.O.A. is named Joey Shithead.

That is some bizarro diatribe! You are one weird dude!!! Here, I've attached a few pics of my daughter and I... surely, you can find some names to call her, too, eh?

I'm infinitely familiar with the WCEH, and was the first to use it driving across Oregon from south to north in 12 hours. I'm also infinitely familiar with Electric Avenue, having been there and used those facilities.

Since you didn't debate a single point I made, and left the rest of us wondering what in the holy heck you were actually trying to convey in the previous message, there's not much for me to counter!

My points stand, including that you're a nut job!!!!

 

[cwerdna]

Great news! It's not official yet, but PSU continues to blaze trails in providing EV infrastructure. To Tony, with LOVE:

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2013/08/new-ev-quick-charger-hits-oregon.html?page=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oregon’s electric vehicle charging network could get a new quick charger that supports several big-name automakers’ EVs.

As such, the addition of the J1772 “combo charger” that would allow for faster EV powering in Oregon could help set the stage for a showdown between the two or three most prevalent fast-charging standards.

Oregon’s electric vehicle advocates are negotiating with auto industry officials to provide the first Society of Automotive Engineers-backed J1772 combo quick charger, which would be installed at the Electric Avenue charging station showcase on Portland State University’s campus.

The combo plug works on the just-released Chevrolet Spark EV and the BMW i3, which will hit the market later this year.

So Frankenplug is amongst the most prevalent fast-charging standards? Where are the publicly available chargers and cars that can use it?

As for the i3, that date is wrong. It will not go on sale until 2nd quarter of 2014.

The real showdown right now and probably for the near future will be between CHAdeMO and Tesla's Supercharger standard.

 

[Nashco]

My points are unnecessary, but your bizarro diatribe is? Good gawd, you are one weird dude!!!

This is GREAT news for me, despite the information contained in your four unrelated and useless comments! I was wondering if you'd be equally confused by my useless and unrelated comments as I was by your useless and unrelated comments.

I am a weird dude, I won't argue that. Some of us are willing to admit it...

Bryce

 

[DaveEV]

Guys, let's cut the name-calling and keep this on-topic and related to the Spark EV, please.

So Tony - where are those range test results?

 

[scottf200]

So Tony - where are those range test results?

He threw some numbers out elsewhere. They are pretty impressive. I'm sure his report/article will be out soon. If it came with a 85kWh and had falcon doors I'd be tempted to buy one in OR and drive it home [wait no superchargers, I'd have to tow it]. Heck, I bought the Volt in NY and drove it to IL before they sold it here and had support from two dealers within 15 miles.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...Anyway, I just had to run to the dealer to see that baby.
So here is the teaser shot. Pick up tomorrow.

Congratulations! I'll be interested to see how things go with it. I wish the Spark weren't a compliance car; perhaps that will change someday.

 

[TonyWilliams]

So Tony - where are those range test results?

I left them back at the 100 Mile Club office. I think I saw Mr. 65's dog chewing on the results, though. I have told him over and over, "no dogs in the club!!".

By the way, a 2014 Spark EV won't have any problems joining out little club.

 

[scottf200]

So Tony - where are those range test results?

I left them back at the 100 Mile Club office. I think I saw Mr. 65's dog chewing on the results, though. I have told him over and over, "no dogs in the club!!". By the way, a 2014 Spark EV won't have any problems joining out little club.

He threw some numbers out elsewhere. They are pretty impressive. I'm sure his report/article will be out soon. If it came with a 85kWh and had falcon doors I'd be tempted to buy one in OR and drive it home [wait no superchargers, I'd have to tow it]. Heck, I bought the Volt in NY and drove it to IL before they sold it here and had support from two dealers within 15 miles.

To recap what the GM engineer stated and the specific points he made about comparing drivetrains.

http://insideevs.com/2014-chevy-spark-ev-gets-epa-range-rating-of-82-miles-119-mpge-combined/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Peter Savagian
May 1, 2013 at 12:21 pm

I am the general director for Electric Drives and Electrification Systems Engineering at General Motors. I need to disabuse you of the mistaken notion that this motor has less than 400 ftlb of Torque. The Spark EV motor is designed and manufactured by GM. This motor makes 540 Nm (402 ftlbf) of Torque at stall and out to about 2000 rpm. This is not gear- multiplied axle torque, but actual motor shaft torque. The very high torque is motor performance that we are very proud of, and customers will notice the difference: (It has a gear reduction of 3.18 to 1, so the axle torque is the product of these two). This is a very low numerical reduction ratio, which has several great benefits – 1) Feels much better to drive. 3.18:1 is less than half of the reduction of all other EVs. This makes for extraordinarly low driveline inertia, less than 1/5 of the driveline inertia of the Nissan Leaf and 1/4 that of the Fiat 500 EV. Their cars feel like you are driving around in second gear all day long; ours feels like fourth gear. 2) Lower gear mesh, spinning losses, and lower high speed electromagnetic losses mean very high drive unit efficiency. The Spark-EV efficiency from DC current to delivered Wheel torque is 85% averaged over the city driving schedule and 92% when averaged over the highway schedule. This is the highest in the industry, and that is one of the reasons why the Spark-EV sets the benchmark for most efficient car.

Google search turned up:
Peter Savagian (suh vah’ jhin) - General Motors
http://www.sae.org/servlets/techSession?REQUEST_TYPE=AUTHOR_BIO&PROD_CD=13EM-0002&PRESENTATION_TITLE=OEM+Reports%3A+The+Chevrolet+Spark+EV+1ET35+Drive+Unit+-+Performance%2C+Efficiency%2C+and+Drive+Quality" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
OEM Reports: The Chevrolet Spark EV 1ET35 Drive Unit - Performance, Efficiency, and Drive Quality

Pete serves as Engineering Director of GM’s Electrification Architecture and Electric Motor Release Center. For the past 12 years, in various roles, he has managed product development and advanced engineering for GM’s hybrid systems, including hybrid architecture development, electric drive component development, systems engineering, systems analysis, and control algorithm development. Pete has worked on electric vehicle systems since 1990. Prior to his current assignment, Pete was Chief Engineer for GM’s EV1 Electric Vehicle Drive Unit and Power Electronics at General Motors and at Delco Electronics. In the past, he has worked at Hughes Aircraft Company and Sundstrand Aviation in various engineering roles.
Pete holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, a MS in Operations Research Engineering from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from Duke University.

 

[GRA]

So, Tony, we're all waiting for the range test data.

 

[TonyWilliams]

So, Tony, we're all waiting for the range test data.

MNL: Tony, did you order the Spark Range Test?!
Voice in back of Tony's head: You don't have to answer that question!
Tony: I'll answer the question. You want answers?
MNL: I think we're entitled!
Tony: You want answers?!
MNL: I want the truth!
Tony: You can't handle the truth! Folks, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with voltmeters. Who's gonna do it? You? You, MNL? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for battered LEAF batteries and you curse the Frankenplug. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know about the Spark EV, which has probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives! You don't want the truth, because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me with that voltmeter. You need me with that voltmeter. We use words like "honor", "code", "loyalty". We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very range data that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you", and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a notepad and a voltmeter, and find a Spark EV. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!
MNL: Tony, did you order the Spark Range Test?!
Tony: I did the job that—-
MNL: Tony, did you order the Spark Range Test?!

TONY: YOU'RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!!