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Topic: India

GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

Summary: GM Spark, photo courtesy of GM.But, of course, this car will not be sold in the U.

Harry Fuller

By Harry Fuller for GreenTech Pastures |

GM Spark, photo courtesy of GM. But, of course, this car will not be sold in the U.S. or Canada. The all-electric Spark will go on sale next year in India. There GM partners with Reva Electric Car Co. The standard combustion engine Spark, sells for $5200. The electric is expected to be slightly more costly. The electric Spark will be available in other Spark-markets as well: Europe, South Korea, China.

The plug-in Spark can be re-charged at any standard socket in India, requiring no new infrastructure. That's what's limited sales of other alternative-energy cars in India so far. Where do you find LNG, for example?

Topics: India, China

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34 comments
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  • it would be nice...

    ...if GM would sell these cars in North America...just my two cents
    privatejarhead
    Reply Vote

  • Oh yeah people in a recession don't need a cheap electric car

    GM deserves to go out of business. Pathetic.
    snafu_77
    Reply Vote

    • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

      I see the electric car as a method of reducing pollution. In a way it is an interim sollution until we come up with alternatives that are better.<br><br>The electric car will not, and cannot prevent pollution, it merely tries to remove one form of pollution output with its <a href="http://www.carparts.com/"><font color="black">parts express</font></a>..
      lackneramanda
      Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    It aggravates me. Why is the US the last one to get this type of innovation that is affordable. I WANT ONE
    AntiTerror
    Reply Vote

    • There are probably lots of reasons why...

      1) They would not pass crash test's in this country
      2) The car cost more than $6000 and GM is subsidizing the extra cost on higher margin vehicles, like in the US SUV and Trucks
      3) The cars will also more than likely built locally with cheap labor (And no shipping it across the ocean).
      mrlinux
      Reply Vote

      • reasons why...

        Let's see.....
        - Crash test? How about the existing cars we now have? A 5mph "crash" costs over $1,000 to repair.
        - Have a non-union shop build it, like Hyundai...

        Too many regulations and unions here.
        1djk1
        Reply Vote

      • Reasons Examined

        <i>1) They would not pass crash test's in this country</i>
        MAYBE: ... but this looks like an AVEO or something similar. Giving GM some savey, I would bet this had been built on something they already build.

        <i>2) The car cost more than $6000 and GM is subsidizing the extra cost on higher margin vehicles, like in the US SUV and Trucks.</i>
        ABSOLUTELY: that is typical business.

        <i>3) The cars will also more than likely built locally with cheap labor (And no shipping it across the ocean). </i>
        NONSENSE: Shipping will not increase the cost of this vehicle by a significant amount as we have seen from other vehicles. I would bet there may be some marketing stigma associated with a car that is completely built in India. Remember Yugo.
        Hal_9001
        Reply Vote

      • "Crash Test" = safety

        What this means is that it has no air bags or any most other specific designs meant to protect the occupants during a crash... not referring to a dented fender. We know that US safety standards built into vehicles are comparatively strict, and keep them so heavy that it drastically reduces gas mileage compared to the same European/Asian models. So go ahead, drive one as fast as you want. Just remember your life is in much more danger.
        rje49
        Reply Vote

        • 40MPH crash = death!

          I read an article not too long ago where the Chevy factory in China was manufacturing Blazers for the Chinese market using Chinese labor and Chinese supplied parts and suppliers...meaning that no part of the Chinese Chevy Blazer was manufactured outside the borders of China.
          One of these cars was brought to a German automobile club and crash tested. They found that a 40mph angle crash with the Chinese made Blazer would most certainly end in death of the driver and passenger with crippling injuries to the remaining passengers...
          http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article567349.ece

          I guess when you have billions of citizens and no war, you gotta get rid of them somehow...
          I suspect that this Indian made car falls under the same category!
          ed
          tech_ed@...
          Reply Vote

    • Because Oil...

      has a gun to the auto industry and the U.S. governments heads and we are fools to allow them to perpetuate it. I never thought I would see a day when the government decides everything that is best for me.
      msdead
      Reply Vote

      • let me tweak your post

        "I never thought I would see a day when the government decides everything that is best for me. "

        It's not that it's best for YOU (or me) but BEST for the government heads pockets.
        t0mmyt@...
        Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    This is more baloney about GM being ready to build and sell an eletric car. Just hype. They do not have the technology to make it practical and truly affordable yet, especially in the US. Some experts think that the famous Volt is still a concept car and won't be ready for prime time for maybe 10 years. The electric car component of this "news" story ranks right up there with the "balloon boy."
    tm7840@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    And of course it will NOT be sold in America where it is
    needed most.

    Short term goals of the greedy and mismanaged. Welcome to
    America!!!
    tspano
    Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    America is reluctant to build the infrastructure to power these car's. Someone has to foot the bill for the retrofit at the gas station. India and emerging counties will pay the price because it's easier/faster for them to grow by adding the tech. In otherwords, a cheap way for them to get up to speed and catch up to the world.
    cad-man-06
    Reply Vote

    • The plug-in Spark can be re-charged at any standard socket

      America already has the infrastructure to charge small electric cars at night (when the electric power grid has excess capacity) in your home garage. A regular outlet is all that's required.

      People drive an average of only 29 miles a day.
      http://www.bts.gov/programs/national_household_travel_survey/daily_travel.html
      This kind of car is perfect for commuters and local errands.

      You'd probably need a second car powered by fossil fuels for longer trips. You could afford two at this price.
      gmeader
      Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    In buying this car:

    I wouldn't pay for gas
    I wouldn't pay for a loan (I'd pay cash)
    I wouldn't get "full coverage insurance"
    I would use the "Eco Pass" my Colorado employer provides
    to ride the commuter rail to work (now I loose time and
    money, I would gain both, I could explain, but I'm not
    going to).

    The insurance company would make less money, the fuel
    company would make less money, and the bank... would
    make less money.

    I would have more money for other, more important
    things. Yeah I see this as a terrible idea. What would
    happen if I hoarded cash, was ecologically responsible, and
    even provided my own electricity (solar, bio fuel to diesel
    elctric, etc).
    kd5jos
    Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    There are a lot of nay sayers here with their heads in the sand. These cars would be safer than my cycle and a damn sight more comfortable in bad weather. Bring it on. I don't need a volt but I do need short transportation. I'll buy one.
    jsifferman
    Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    No matter what rules an regulations prevent its use outside India etc, it *will* become available in time.
    10 years from now we'll look back and scratch our heads at why we were so slow at adopting our own innovations.
    AT the end of the day, our free market will determined what will or will not be available (within the law).
    mrunge@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: GM to sell small electric car for less than $6,000

    I don't think everyone would go for that but, I would, I've been thinking of converting a motorcycle to electric for about a year now. Just because I only travel less than 20 mile per day to work. Wasting $40 a week on gas sucks.
    cad-man-06
    Reply Vote

    • Don't have to build one

      There are electric motorcycles you can buy right now. Of course, if you just love to tinker, feel free to create your own.
      Greenknight_z
      Reply Vote
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