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      10-13-2013, 08:26 PM   #14
cblandin
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Drives: 97 M3, Volt, XC60
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tommolog View Post
The Spark EV is a nice little EV for sure but it's difficult to really compare the two for a few reasons.

First and most importantly, the Spark is a low volume compliance EV that GM has said (and recently confirmed) will only be available for sale in California and Oregon. That's too bad because I think they would sell a good number of them if they were available everywhere. On the other hand, the i3 is a world car and will be available in all 50 states in the US, plus in just about every country BMW sells cars in.

Then there is the driving experience. All EV's are definitely not created equal. I've driven just about every modern electric car (haven't driven the Spark though because it's not available on the East Coast, but I have talked to a few people that have) and I can tell you with certainty some drive dramatically better than others. You just don't get the same driving experience when you convert a gasoline car to electric like GM did with the Spark. It wasn't designed to be an electric car and like the Ford Focus electric you can tell that once you spend some time in it. The i3 is purpose built with the electric components and drivetrain all incorporated into the design, not squeezed here and there wherever there is room for them. Plus, the i3 has strong a-pedal regen, something only Tesla really gets. The i3's regen is even stronger than what you find on the Model S and it makes a great single-pedal driving experience. The Sparks regen is very weak in comparison.

The i3 is the only EV that offers an optional range extender. This will be a very popular option with many first time EV buyers. It will help to get people that are hesitant about range and charging issues on the road to try an EV.

Lastly, many people do want a premium feel and amenities in their car. The Spark is rather spartan and what you would expect in a sub-20k economy car. The i3's interior is really one of it's strong design aspect, it's really beautiful and very comfortable. There are available options like adaptive cruise control, brake assist, parking assistant and a navigation system that offers smart range calculations based on real time traffic conditions, weather, driving style, the speed limit of the rout you are taking and even topography. These factors can impact your range tremendously and the i3's range estimator is the only one on the market that takes these into consideration.

Oh and I almost forgot the size. While they are both small cars, the i3 is indeed considerably larger. It's over a foot longer and a half a foot wider. That makes a lot of difference in the passenger cabin. The i3 actually has about the same passenger volume as a 3 series and feels spacious when your in it. You know your in a sub-compact when your sitting in a Spark.

Still all thinks considered, the thing that kills the Spark from really being considered competition to anything is that it will only be for sale in CA and OR.
I agree the CA/OR thing makes the comparison moot for many, and the size is also an issue. However, the reviews are all trying to answer the "does it perform like a BMW?" Question, and the Spark seems to have very similar performance. In reality, the closest "on paper" competitor in the EV space is probably the Volt. They are about $10k apart and the Volt's performance isn't as stout, but it is easy to cross shop them. Heck, I sold my M5 to lease a Volt and 15k miles later (87% on battery), I have no regrets. The i3 is still on my list as a candidate when my Volt's lease is up, but it isn't as compelling as I had hoped.
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