Forget about the Spark EV and wait for the Bolt EV.
Stupid stupid stupid stupid....
So the 2016 Spark EV was announced today.
Think we would get a 6.6 charger? Nope
Think that they might actually have a decent sound system? Nope
Think in the SF Bay area you would ever see a DCFC? Nope
These people are idiots.
Think we would get a 6.6 charger? Nope
Think that they might actually have a decent sound system? Nope
Think in the SF Bay area you would ever see a DCFC? Nope
These people are idiots.
1 - 20 of 33 Posts
Think that the Spark EV is a lame duck that has seen the end of its development investment?So the 2016 Spark EV was announced today.
Think we would get a 6.6 charger? Nope
Think that they might actually have a decent sound system? Nope
Think in the SF Bay area you would ever see a DCFC? Nope
These people are idiots.
Well, if it's a compliance car, it may well be cheaper to give them away than to go through another product development cycle before they come out with the Bolt. Look for the Spark EV prices to PLUMMET just before the Bolt comes out!Think that the Spark EV is a lame duck that has seen the end of its development investment?
You've diagnosed the "future" of the Spark EV...Well, if it's a compliance car, it may well be cheaper to give them away than to go through another product development cycle before they come out with the Bolt. Look for the Spark EV prices to PLUMMET just before the Bolt comes out!
All the Spark EV was was a guinea pig for the Bolt EV (plus to get some ZEV credits). Why would GM put any more money into a vehicle that is about to be discontinued?
GM has a history of making them right just before they get killed. Corvair and Fiero come to mind. Why not the Spark EV?All the Spark EV was was a guinea pig for the Bolt EV (plus to get some ZEV credits). Why would GM put any more money into a vehicle that is about to be discontinued?
VIN # B0985
The Ford Mustang is what doomed the Corvair. The Fiero? I had an early one, what I remember was its poor, minimal travel front suspension I think was Chevette-based, and the horrible linkage from the shift lever to the transmission. It was not a pleasant car to drive.GM has a history of making them right just before they get killed. Corvair and Fiero come to mind. Why not the Spark EV?
VIN # B0985
Call me stupid but I don't think it's a close call as to whether CCS or 6.6 kW charging is more important. Any AC charging above 3.3 kW is overkill; DC charging is a must for a BEV. This may be because I leased a BEV for four years. Never had anything more than a 3.3 kW charger. Never needed anything more than a 3.3 kW charger. Did use the CHAdeMO charger. Would never use anything other than DC public charging. Basically, if you need more than a 3.3 kW AC charging you won't be happy with the range of the Spark EV. The car is parked overnight, and parked this long you'll get a full charge on 3.3 kW as easily as you will 6.6 kW.
Personally I don't understand why people care about AC public charging at all, much less 6.6 kW charging rather than 3.3 kW. All AC charging is either too fast or too slow. Too fast for home or work charging. Too slow for trip charging.
Aren't there at least 70 CCS chargers in the SF Bay area? Aren't there going to be more?
Personally I don't understand why people care about AC public charging at all, much less 6.6 kW charging rather than 3.3 kW. All AC charging is either too fast or too slow. Too fast for home or work charging. Too slow for trip charging.
Aren't there at least 70 CCS chargers in the SF Bay area? Aren't there going to be more?
Show me where those CCS chargers are that dont cost a damn fortune.
Well, you got a point there.Show me where those CCS chargers are that don't cost a damn fortune.
The number of CCS in the Bay Area is 42.
49 if you include Sacramento, Salinas and Fresno.
many of us outside of California, Oregon, or Maryland would love to have the option to buy a new Spark EV. Similarly, I'd love to buy a RAV4 EV. It's a sham that only a few states gets the love. I know I can probably get a used one and get it transported to where I live, but then finding someone who can repair it will be an issue.
I think you proved my point. The Corvair was killed by Ralph Nader and the terrible swing axle rear suspension (copied from VW BTW) not the Mustang. The later models had a fairly nice control arm rear suspension but by then the car was tainted. The Fiero fixed all the things you complain about in the last year of production, but again early flaws and a tainted reputation killed it.The Ford Mustang is what doomed the Corvair. The Fiero? I had an early one, what I remember was its poor, minimal travel front suspension I think was Chevette-based, and the horrible linkage from the shift lever to the transmission. It was not a pleasant car to drive.
VIN # B0985
I did a search on SAE combo charge stations and found one in all of IL, lol.
+1Call me stupid but I don't think it's a close call as to whether CCS or 6.6 kW charging is more important. Any AC charging above 3.3 kW is overkill; DC charging is a must for a BEV. This may be because I leased a BEV for four years. Never had anything more than a 3.3 kW charger. Never needed anything more than a 3.3 kW charger. Did use the CHAdeMO charger. Would never use anything other than DC public charging. Basically, if you need more than a 3.3 kW AC charging you won't be happy with the range of the Spark EV. The car is parked overnight, and parked this long you'll get a full charge on 3.3 kW as easily as you will 6.6 kW.
Personally I don't understand why people care about AC public charging at all, much less 6.6 kW charging rather than 3.3 kW. All AC charging is either too fast or too slow. Too fast for home or work charging. Too slow for trip charging.
Aren't there at least 70 CCS chargers in the SF Bay area? Aren't there going to be more?
In the 5 months I've had a BEV (Fiat 500e, but still want a Volt!) I've stayed with the included 120V L-1 EVSE. 120V at 12A still only gives less than 1.4kWh, so I'm thinking a 3.3kWh charger is fine for overnight home charging. If on-the-road, then a DCFC would be my choice.
I guess the 6.6kWh charger is nice if I needed to charge at work, and a L-2 EVSE was convenient. So far, I've never had to use a EVSE away from home, so the 3.3kWh charger would be fine for me.
I'm going to have to disagree with you there. We had a 2011 Leaf with 3.3 and no DC port. Then we upgraded to a 2013 with 6.6 and DC port. Funny thing is. I originally thought the DC port would be the most important thing. And we have used it several times. But I also recognize how much faster it is to have the 6.6 and now I think it is just as important. When my wife gets home in the evenings there is usually about 30 miles left on the Leaf. If we need to go somewhere that evening that usually means taking the Volt or stopping for a QC. But with the faster charger, we can plug in for an hour while were doing chores and getting ready to go, and it will ad 20 extra miles to the car. So when we leave it will have 50 miles of range. That is handy. Not to mention using a public L2 station.Call me stupid but I don't think it's a close call as to whether CCS or 6.6 kW charging is more important. Any AC charging above 3.3 kW is overkill;
Actually I think you're agreeing with me! This is what I was referring to when I said if you think you need a 6.6 kW charger it's likely the range of the car doesn't suit you. For a BEV you should have sufficient range that you don't need to charge multiple times a day routinely. The occasional day is a different story. Stuff happens. But for those days a DC charger is what you'd likely want and need.I'm going to have to disagree with you there. We had a 2011 Leaf with 3.3 and no DC port. Then we upgraded to a 2013 with 6.6 and DC port. Funny thing is. I originally thought the DC port would be the most important thing. And we have used it several times. But I also recognize how much faster it is to have the 6.6 and now I think it is just as important. When my wife gets home in the evenings there is usually about 30 miles left on the Leaf. If we need to go somewhere that evening that usually means taking the Volt or stopping for a QC. But with the faster charger, we can plug in for an hour while were doing chores and getting ready to go, and it will ad 20 extra miles to the car. So when we leave it will have 50 miles of range. That is handy. Not to mention using a public L2 station.
To some extent you're willing to live on the bleeding edge and need multiple charging on a routine basis. That's fine but you'd likely be far better off with the 2016 MY Leaf with 50% more range. Even better would be a BEV with a 200 mile range. In either case your charging problem would be solved and you wouldn't need the 6.6 kW charger.
Ultimately it was the Mustang which did the Corvair in. GM fixed the rear suspension in the 64 model year, the final gen 1 Corvair, and went to a Corvette inspired rear suspension in the superbly styled gen 2 1965 Corvair. Unfortunately, GM's long term plans for the Corvair got blindsided by the Mustang which surprised the auto world debuting in April of 1964, months before the '65 gen 2 Corvair with its full product lineup topped off by the sporty new Corsa showed up.I think you proved my point. The Corvair was killed by Ralph Nader and the terrible swing axle rear suspension (copied from VW BTW) not the Mustang. The later models had a fairly nice control arm rear suspension but by then the car was tainted.
VIN # B0985
The Mustang took over and ran away with the compact sporty car market which was basically started by the Corvair Monza in late 1960. The '65 Corvair with its air cooled 180 hp turbo 6 cylinder engine was not going to match up with a 271 hp V8 Mustang, much less a Shelby GT350 which extended the Mustang magic into legitimate performance.
The solution was clear to Chevy, and it did not include the Corvair - let the Chevy II go after the pedestrian compact car buyers, and create their own 'Mustang' clone to battle away within the small sporty car category which became known as the pony car segment. Hence, the little changed '66 Corvair hung on for Chevrolet until the 1967 Camaro hit the scene. The 1967 Corvair offerings got substantially trimmed down, and within a couple of years the Corvair became history.
I still have a 1966 Corvair Corsa coupe with the turbo flat six. The style still looks good today. I'm convinced that, had the Mustang never arrived, Chevrolet would have had the time to allow the Corvair to carve out its own niche as an American Porsche.
As typical with most american drivers, the pos car wins over the superbly styled and engineered car. The 64 1/2 Mustang was no match for the 65 Corvair.
The difference here is that GM put time and money into the Corvair and Fiero in the hope of continued sales, which did not come. GM has no such long term plans for the Spark EV, and is rightly putting its efforts into the Bolt.GM has a history of making them right just before they get killed. Corvair and Fiero come to mind. Why not the Spark EV?
VIN # B0985
1 - 20 of 33 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
GM Volt Forum
A forum community dedicated to Chevy Volt electric car owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about hybrid performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, reviews, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Recommended Communities
