GM reveals electric car plans including more details on Spark EV

According to khabar khodro، General Motors (GM) has certainly been at the forefront of the electrification movement, particularly with the Chevrolet Volt vastly outselling its competition – and now it has outlined the plans it hopes will help it to retain its position as the green car leader.

According to GM Senior Vice President for global product development Mary Barra, vehicle electrification will focus on three main areas: light electrification, including eAssist systems; extended range vehicles, such as the Volt; and battery electric cars, such as the eagerly anticipated Chevrolet Spark EV.

GM is aiming to sell in excess of 50,000 vehicles this year featuring some form of electrification. The majority will be vehicles featuring the eAssist system, with GM selling more than 26,000 vehicles with the technology so far this year. It had also sold 19,309 units of the Chevrolet Volt in the USA by the end of October.

According to Barra, the focus on these areas of electrification does not mean that GM will turn its back on hybrid cars. However, it is expected that hybrid solutions will focus on specific consumer needs: such as a two-mode hybrid system in light trucks.

More details have also been revealed about the Chevrolet Spark EV, which will be officially introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show before arriving in showrooms next summer. It will offer a few firsts according to GM, including the recently approved SAE combo charger for DC fast charging; as well as a fast charge that can bring a depleted car batteries back to 80 per cent capacity in around 20minutes.

At the heart of the vehicle meanwhile, will be a 100kW, 542Nm electric motor that can accelerate from 0-60mph in less than eight seconds.