The Chevrolet Spark EV was easy to overlook, but it appears consumers haven’t forgotten about the electric hatchback. Quite the opposite as the ill-fated model earned a spot on Carvana’s top ten list of best-selling electric vehicles in the first half of 2023.
That’s a notable achievement for a model that had a short three-year run and was dropped for 2017. That being said, the Spark EV came in tenth place out of more than 46 EVs.
First place went to the Tesla Model 3, which isn’t much of a surprise. It was followed by the Nissan Leaf, while the BMW i3 rounded out the podium.
- Tesla Model 3
- Nissan Leaf
- BMW i3
- Chevrolet Volt
- Tesla Model Y
- Tesla Model S
- Volkswagen e-Golf
- Chevrolet Bolt
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Chevrolet Spark
Moving down the list, there’s the Chevrolet Volt, which isn’t fully electric. It too is a ‘zombie’ as GM axed the model in 2018 as part of a culling that also included the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6 / XTS, and Chevrolet Cruise / Impala.
The Tesla Model Y and Model S grabbed the next two spots, while the Volkswagen e-Golf and Chevrolet Bolt followed close behind. The Ford Mustang Mach-E came in ninth, while the Tesla Model X didn’t even crack into the top ten as Carvana shoppers are more S3Y than S3XY.
Carvana didn’t release detailed numbers, but said their EV sales have increased 786% in the past five years. Low prices could have something to do with it as the company’s director of inventory purchasing, Kevin Fitzgerald, noted “more than 40% of our EV options [are] under $25,000.”
A quick search shows a ton of Leafs starting around $14,000. In Metro Detroit, there’s also a 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV that can be had for $12,990 with 77,969 miles (125,479 km) on it. Those aren’t the only affordable options as the company also sells electric versions of the Ford Focus, Kia Soul, Mercedes B-Class, and Smart ForTwo.
