Posted on 04/25/2022 9:55:42 AM PDT by dynachrome
After debuting the Chevrolet Spark EV in 2012, the tiny electric tyke most known for a snazzy Lime color option went on sale four just three years, from 2013 to 2016. In that time, GM sold roughly 7,400 units, mostly in states with zero emissions vehicle mandates like California, Oregon, and Maryland. The grudging, compliance car aspect, old battery chemistry, tiny sales total explain why EV-Resource reports that GM has discontinued Spark EV battery packs. According to some Chevrolet parts departments the outlet contacted, the order system showed the hatchback's battery pack as unavailable as of April 7. An automaker district rep "who wished to remain anonymous" told EV-Resource, "We are no longer going to supply that battery."
The Spark EV started life with a battery pack provided by China's A123 Systems. Buyers suffered a spate of issues, so GM tied up with LG Chem to bring pack manufacture in-house from 2014 to 2016. GM provided an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the battery, but that doesn't matter anymore if there are no packs to replace broken units with. And there's no third-party support for a comparatively inexpensive but complex model that sold in such tiny numbers. A Chevy dealer tech commented at the Spark EV Owner's Facebook page, "I’m not gonna miss working on these. They were the most labor intensive to work on compared to Volts, Bolts, Hybrid Tahoes and Malibu batteries."
(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...
Surplus Center has a nice little Subaru 14hp for $300 that would probably work
Just put a mower deck under it and you're good to go.
A 1200cc motorcycle engine would be better if you want to drive it on the road.
Looks like a potential project for one of those trikes with two wheels up front and one in the back.
“Another one bites the dust, another one, another one, another one bites the dust.”
click link for the song by Queen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqyUAtzS_6M
Long live the Hemi
Why do business with Chevy if they play this way? Bad car AND no replacement batteries made. This is dirty business.
LOL! It’s the iPod/iPhone of automobiles. - “Battery dead? Enjoy your brick.”
I saw a news segment of some location in China where there were thousands of old EV batteries in piles. The company was supposed to be recycling them, but the piece was on how impossible that was as each battery was a different design. Not only was it difficult to take the main assembly apart, but the cells themselves could burst into flames if they weren’t handled perfectly and each manufacturer built them differently. This recycling company had become a dumping ground for old batteries that were filled with toxic chemicals that could burst into flames under a wide variety of circumstances.
Hmmmm .... I wonder if the Fed’s will reimburse the dealers given these is no resale value? If so, the taxpayer gets fleeced again. Sounds like an Obama plan to me...my two cents.
Chevy Spark just became - Chevy Flintstone
Dispose the SPARK appropriately.
.
I knew it.
Chevy Spark owners just became -Chevy Flintstones 😬
PS you are correct, I didn’t read beyond what was posted. In addition, I can’t believe anyone would buy such a car given its history and no future dealer support for servicing. What about that other winner, the Volt? What’s the latest on that dud...
“Another one bites the dust, another one, another one, another one bites the dust.”
click link for the song by Queen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqyUAtzS_6M
Long live the Hemi
You could park it in any California city and rent it out for $800 a month as a condo!
From the article which you did not read:
One owner related that “In a discussion with Criswell Chevrolet (of MD), they said, ‘if the battery had failed we wouldn’t replace it. There are none available so we would buy the car back.’” Others have been getting quotes from places like Carvana, the superheated market delivering tidy potential profits, with purchase figures ranging from $10,000 to $16,000. The used car sales site is asking close to $16,000 or more for Spark EVs from the final two model years.
Meanwhile, owners of ICE-powered cars built in 2013 to 2016 can still buy gasoline (at least for a little while longer).
GM named its first EV “Impact.” It was later changed to “EV-1” after the marketing department realized how stupid the name was.
What genius at GM would name a later EV “Spark”? They either spark and burn all on their own or in crashes.
Don’t they learn any lessons at GM?
Yep, saved the Erf. But please just ignore that pile of obsolete junk in the auto graveyard.
“...went on sale four just three years...”
Yahoo at its best.
looks like a flea...
Shouldn't that be "fore"
A dead lithium-ion battery won’t “burst into flames”.
And if they’re sitting in a scrap pile, they’re most certainly dead.
Wonder what the trade-in value would be at a Chevy dealership?
“Well son, we’d take your Spark in trade, but we’re all set for bookends here at the dealership. Besides, bookends usually come in a set of two. Don’t happen to have another one in your pocket, do you? No? Sorry, can’t help you.”
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