When Chevy rolled out the new Bolt, it said it was not intended as a direct replacement for the existing Spark EV. But that appears to be exactly what has happened as the American automaker has reportedly ceased selling the electric Spark.
The Chevy Spark EV launched in the summer of 2013 as a 2014 model in certain US states – initially California and Oregon, before Maryland was added in the spring of 2015. Built in South Korea, the EV is based on the conventional Spark and offers a range of just 82 miles on a single charge – little over three times less than the newer Bolt’s range of 238 miles.
After just three and a half years on the market, The Detroit News reports that the Spark EV has been dropped from Chevy’s lineup for 2017. While the conventional Spark – redesigned for 2017 – remains the Bowtie brand’s most accessible model, starting at $13,000 (compared to the $15,145 Sonic), the electric version has disappeared from the Chevrolet website.
Restricted to just those three markets, Chevy has reportedly sold about 7,400 Spark EVs since its introduction (for an average of over 2,000 per year). Less than 600 Bolts left dealerships in December, a number which is projected to have doubled in January (despite similar regional constrictions and a higher price).
At that rate, GM will have sold 14,400 of the newer electric hatchbacks by the end of 2017 – nearly twice as many as its predecessor’s total production run, or more than seven times its average annual sales. Projections are even higher, however, estimated to top 30,000 by year end.
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