Reuss: New Chevrolet EV In The Pipeline

by Cameron Aubernon

October 13th, 2014 10:32 AM

Looking to broaden Chevrolet’s green horizons, General Motors global product overlord Mark Reuss says a new EV is in the works, one that will join the Spark EV and the Volt. And just as TTAC reported earlier this year, the new vehicle will be based on the Chevrolet Sonic.

Automotive News reports the vehicle will likely be based upon the B-segment Sonic, have a range of 200 miles, and will become a part of the Bow Tie’s model portfolio by 2017 at the earliest, all according to two individuals close to the source. Reuss, for his part, didn’t disclose more than the fact the vehicle will soon exist.

The EV may have been in development for some time: prior to his departure for greener groves in 2013, then-CEO Dan Akerson said GM was working on a vehicle that would deliver 200 miles of travel on a single charge.

As for where it might be sold, the Spark EV is currently available only in California and Oregon, though the brand’s customers around the country would like to put the electric subcompact in their garages, per Reuss.

#2017 #BSegment #Chevrolet #DanAkerson #ElectricVehicles #MarkReuss #Sonic #SparkEV #SubcompactVehicles #Volt

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5 of 19 comments

Buickman on Oct 13, 2014

Reuss at his best.

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Nickoo on Oct 13, 2014

A 200 mile EV is a worthy goal, but making it a Sonic seems like a really bad idea. I think it would probably be better and less expensive to make the next volt in two versions: battery only and battery + generator. I think you'd have to be crazy to pay 30,000 for a sonic, even if it was an EV. The best affordable pure EV out there right now is the new Kia Soul EV, the best battery + generator is definitely the volt, GM should build on that success and brand.

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- Mcs on Oct 13, 2014
  
  >> The best affordable pure EV out there right now is the new Kia Soul EV, the best battery + generator is definitely the volt, GM should build on that success and brand The Volts meager 3.3 kw on-board charger is incredibly slow compared to modern EVs and EVs with range extenders. The Leaf has a 6.6kw on-board charger available and the i3 I think has 7.4 kw standard. Both have DC Level 3 charging available. I know people with Volts and they take forever to charge. I'm curious, why do you think the Soul EV is better than the Leaf? I looked at the Soul EV and ended up with a Leaf SL with every option. Nissan was offering plenty of cash on the hood and KIA isn't even selling the Soul EV in my state, much less discounting. Even if they were, it seemed to be missing features like LED headlights and premium sound system options. It also lacks the support from the huge user base that Leaf owners enjoy. Nissan has also had time to work out the bugs and current Leafs have enjoyed numerous improvements over the original 2011 models.
  
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SCE to AUX on Oct 13, 2014

It's interesting how a few players are now promoting the 200-mile EV years ahead of time. Nissan's been fairly quiet about this, except the highest range I've heard might be available in Leaf 2.0 is about 150 miles. EV range has suddenly become akin to the towing capacity wars between trucks. GM's stylists will have to up their game if they think a Sonic EV will compete with the Model 3. Being homely is one reason Coda failed. The Roadster/Lotus, Model S, and Model X all give me hope that the Model 3 will be a looker. Pretty girls don't sell cars; pretty cars sell cars.

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Corey Lewis on Oct 14, 2014

Is it worth making something off the Sonic when you have the Spark EV already? Aren't they REALLY similar in size, and customer base?

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