Doesn't really make sense to me either. Maybe Chevy is dipping their toes in the Canadian market before fully committing. Unless do they get some sort of tax break/exemption I'm not sure about. Canada has a pretty big duty when it comes to car imports.
Chevrolet Spark EV Coming To Canada As A Fleet Only Vehicle. For Now.
2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Will Not Be Available To The Canadian Public At Launch
The Chevrolet Spark EV is an all electric car from GM with an EPA-estimated range of 81 miles, that is currently entering production in South Korea, and will go on sale in that country shortly, with deliveries to start in the summer.
2014 Spark EV Powered By A Peppy 100 kW Motor
Two other countries have also been confirmed to get the EV, namely the United States and Canada. Chevrolet has also recently promised to sell the Spark in “selected markets” throughout Europe.
However for one country, all is not as it seems, as InsideEVs has learned while attending the CIAS (Canadian International Auto Show) this week, that when it comes to Canada, there is a fly in the ointment.
According to GM, “…at initial launch in Canada, Spark EV will be a Fleet vehicle only and pricing will be announced closer to launch. It will be eligible for Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia provincial EV incentives.”
In speaking with a representative we learned that quite likely the 2014 Spark EV will be only available to commercial customers. The 2015 Spark EV (on sale in fall of 2014) will perhaps be the earliest date it will be made available to the Canadian public, with that decision also quite likely affected by how the car is received in its limited US roll-out. Starting next fall, the Spark EV will be available in both California and Oregon in the US.
GM says that when the Spark EV launches next summer, it is ”expected to have among the best EV battery range in its segment and be the first electric vehicle to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capability, enabling the Spark EV to reach 80-percent battery charge in just 20 minutes.”
The Spark EV will retail just under $32,500 when it goes on sale in the US, and is powered by a 560-pound (254 kg) square liquid-cooled battery lithium-ion battery pack, comprised of 336 prismatic cells, good for just over 20 kWh of energy. The Chevy city EV sports a 100 kW (130 hp) motor under the hood that gives the Spark EV a lively 0-60 time of under 8.5 seconds.
Looking at the big picture when it comes to the Chevrolet Spark EV, we are still undecided whether or not to class this as a compliance-EV, or as a real mass production offering for General Motors. But then again, perhaps GM is still just as unsure themselves.
Below: 2014 Spark EV Gallery (double click)
Chevrolet Spark EV Coming To Canada As A Fleet Only Vehicle. For Now.
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