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To put the current electric vehicle market in the harsh light of reality... Tesla is pretty much unilaterally recognized as the #1 EV maker in the world. They are, in fact, WRT volume; Tesla sold a record 367,000 vehicles globally in 2019 (BYD was #2 at 225K units). Some gov't entities (and rabid EV fans) are hoping to see 100% EV products by 2030, or even 2025. Worldwide vehicle production in 2019 was... 65,500,000. That's sixty-five million units. Which means Tesla's global marketshare in 2019 is 0.0056%. 2019 U.S. BEV sales were 242,846. 2019 U.S. total vehicle sales were 16.78 million. Which means U.S. BEV marketshare was 1.44%, down from the peak in 2018. How any rational person thinks a 20-yr segment sitting at 1.4% is going to go to 100% in 9 years is beyond explanation. Anyone in Gov't pushing such a mandate needs to have a metal competency evaluation.

Kind of funny, we have @David that thinks we all will be driving EVs in 5 years and @ocnblu that EVs are just a crackpot that never will catch on ... As always the truth is somewhere in between the extremes I suspect.

I get what you’re trying to say but why ignore certain positives like the fact that you can just charge your car at home unlike with gas? That, to me, offsets some of the current infrastructure limitations. There are more and more charging stations popping up everywhere, and people who are actually buying EVs are well aware of this fact.

How debate happens on EV's here at C and G...

"THEY" want ppl to revert to walking. Horses as transportation will be deemed cruel.

No doubt...same with a GM EV, VW EV, M-B EV...companies that have built cars for decades are more likely to build a quality product than a small company that cuts corners and tries to reinvent normal production methods...

Now see if you could just turn that electric Delorean into a time machine you could make a vehicle purchase in both and prove to Blu once and for all the viability of electric vehicles.

No, surreal; I’m not driving around in my TD looking for charging locations, that’s why I used an online locator for my info. Only one I was aware of visibly was the Tesla one. And while I get that things were different 90 years ago, just like they will be 90 from now, I can’t make a vehicle purchase in either of those times.

Compressed air for intake, vent to the water for exhaust.

Horse - check this out : https://bosunsbox.com/diy-submarine/

Tesla pretty much proves modern cars can be built out of Balsa wood, just like those model airplanes we bullt as kids. Not quite, but methinks a car like the Mach E will be eleven billion times better from a quality standpoint.

Have you ever planned a trip "slightly" incorrectly? Sometimes, it's due to unforeseen events. In this case, I had rented a car for one day less than I actually needed one. So, I then proceeded to book a car for one day to bridge that gap. The car turned out to be a 2020 Chevrolet Spark 5 door hatchback. For the second time now, I have been given a vehicle corresponding exactly the car category that I rented on line. I had seen the Chevy Spark around before. I had even seen them at dealerships and I've sat in them at auto shows. The most noticeable thing about the Spark is how small it is and that the wheelbase is short. And that there is very little overhang beyond the real wheels. In this way, it is very much like European econoboxes made by Peugeot, Fiat, and other similar brands. This perception transfers right over to the driving experience. It drives very much like entry level European econoboxes. The biggest difference, however, is that it has a 4 cylinder engine (1.4 liters), while some of the ones overseas are down to 3 cylinders, and has a CVT unit instead of the automated DSG found overseas, which have a set number of gears, usually 6 or 7. The engine is a small Ecotec 4 cylinder, most of the car's parts are sourced outside the U.S., and final assembly is also outside the U.S. Fuel economy is good; however, the small econoboxes overseas return closer to 50 mpg. The Spark comes in at closer to 40 mpg, which is still respectable. The Spark doesn't provide much in the way of isolation. The driver knows what the engine is doing and what the tires are doing at any given time. As with any CVT, there is less "feel" as to what the transmission is doing. For the size of car that it is, the engine is capable enough and seems willing. The engine produces just shy of 100 hp but, back in the day, 4 liters worth of engine with a little over 100 hp would lug around 4,000 pound cars and live to tell about it. The Spark's 1.4 liter 4 is not overly noisy, but the throttle and some talk back from the engine compartment are part and parcel of the driving experience. The handling is fairly nimble and, with such a small size, the Spark inspires confidence in taking it into crowded city traffic, tight parking lots, and narrow residential streets. (On the contrary, one who isn't too familiar with their rented land yacht wouldn't be so willing to do that.) The ride is not that refined and anything but the most freshly paved of highways will transmit road and wind noise into the cabin, along with occasional jolts from road imperfections. At speeds over 65 mph, this becomes more noticeable. The Spark's interior is sensibly laid out. That's more true of GM products than a lot of other marques. There's a standard GM kit of parts that's seen in the instrumental panel, on door switches, and the like. The main cluster has a few bezels and an info box, if you will. There is a speedometer, a tachometer, and a fuel gauge. The info box has the odometer and some other key information. What's lacking is a temperature gauge. I've seen less of these in entry level cars in the last decade. Personally, I don't like waiting for an idiot light to come on to tell me that the engine is running hot. The infotainment screen is similar to those on other GM cars, but smaller. It's easy to use. So is the climate control panel. The seating is upholstered in cloth, seems to come in one color - black, and there is a fold down armrest (which may be an option), but no console per se' with a storage bin. The seats are rather flat and don't have much definition. Legroom up front is sufficient but, depending on the adjustment of the seats up front, rear seat legroom can vary from acceptable for shorter people to feeling cramped. This car is probably more ideal for shorter commutes and running errands. The comfort and support from the seats is not amenable to longer, relaxing jaunts on the interstate. In terms of price point and content, the Spark is probably in the same league as Nissan's Versa, which is their entry level vehicle. While the Versa appears to be a little longer, has more overhang beyond the rear wheels, and has a more spacious trunk, the driving experience and the feel inside the cabin is a little nicer in the Spark. However, in my opinion, the Spark falls a little short on these criteria compared to the minimally more expensive Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio. The Spark has a reasonable price in the mid-teens (of thousands of dollars). It even comes with a manual transmission, though most found on dealers' lots aren't equipped that way. Like many Chevy products, there are LS and LT models. In recent years, the Spark has been one of the few cars that could be had with manual windows. The Spark comes with power steering and brakes. And the rented one had power windows and power door locks, as well as an adjustable steering wheel. A power seat is not available. The Spark is not that bad looking for its genre. There is nothing quirky about it, except maybe a few colors such as Passion Fruit and Toasted Marshmallow! It has a simple and pleasant front fascia and rear tail lamp assembly, along with some character lines in the sheet metal through the doors. Many Sparks have wheel covers instead of fancier alloy wheels. And, like so many GM cars, the engine compartment of the Spark is more tidily laid out than many of its competitors. Overall, this is one very utilitarian and simple car. It's priced right. But the best thing about the Spark is that it can make you feel like a teen on a budget that's darting from one place to another and pinching pennies while doing it. In one day, I managed to keep the mileage I put on the rented Spark to less than 100 miles. However, that was enough to know that this car is not one that would be particularly exciting to anyone, but it would definitely serve its purpose and might even be a little fun to drive. - - - - - Photos forthcoming

Amusing read : https://misternizz.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/my-obsession-with-acquiring-a-polaris-submarine/

Correct, it is not on the base SR model, SR5, or Limited models. The TRD Sport and TRD Off road are 33k and 34k, respectively, though. So you're not forced to get some crazy priced mid-size truck for 45-50k with the TRD Pro. The TRD Sport can be had with 2WD, as well, so you're not forced to have 4WD. I forgot the Gladiator can also be had with a manual transmission.

And in Phoenix metro, they are literally everywhere. Point being, they are getting there at a faster rate than before. Hell, even in NC, I’m seeing more and more public charging stations. The Wal-Mart near my old place in Greensboro, NC had a twelve bay charging station there. Oh and when you have had a 100 year head start on infrastructure, you better have gas stations everywhere at this point. That doesn’t mean there isn’t an increase in EV stations nationwide. For the record, there are 455 public charging stations in New Jersey. While obviously not as many as gas stations, there is no small number so perhaps you don’t see that many because you’re not really looking for them, being that you don’t own an EV in the first place. And the biggest thing you are skipping over is the fact that while the number of public charging station places pale in comparison to gas station in said area, I can’t fill up my car every night at home since I don’t have a gas pump hooked up to my house. EVs, on the other hand...just saying. https://njdep.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e41aa50dd8cd45faba8641b6be6097b1

It's too bad the current VW California camper isn't sold in the US...neat vehicle.

Not true. I just went to their site and you can get a manual in the TRD Sport, TRD Off Road, and TRD Pro.

Beetles, to me, are like paper coffee cups; throw-aways after 1 use.

^ There's a 10-outlet location across the highway from me... but Tesla's only. There's 2 outlets at my municipal building about 2 miles from me... but for municipal vehicles only (I've never seen an EV municipal vehicle in their fleet). There's 2 outlets at a nissan dealer about 2 miles from me, but you have to call ahead to use. There's 2 outlets at a school about 4 miles from me, that's 24/7 available. A LONG way to go to be comparable right here. Meanwhile, I have like 20 pumps at a Costco, 16 pumps at a Raceway, like 10 pumps at a Fuel One, like 20 pumps at a Speedway prolly 12 pumps at a BP, a Valero, a WAWA.... I'm sure others, all within a 2 miles.

At my work's parking lot. Old vs New

I think that is hands down the best wording for GM right now! ? Sometimes I feel like the old culture just really never dies. The last time GM did any decent marketing was putting their cars in the Transformers movies.... It’s like GM wants to shout themselves in the foot....

Full court EV press in Europe, this Skoda should sell well there.

I understand your points. But a random '70s Beetle goes for like $5-7 grand. Does putting $50K into a $5K car make it worth ANYWHERE near that $55K? Yes; most Buick folk like them original. For the first bunch of years I owned my car, it's #1 value was stagnant at $7500 (not that it was flirting with #1 status at all, nor would I aim to take it there). I wrestled with going with a custom build, but that stagnancy gave me the 'go-ahead'. But today in #1 (original!) shape it's a $30K car. And I'm not putting $50K JUST under to hood of it. In fact, I'm not putting $50K into the entirety of it, and I only paid $500 for it as a running/driving car. My point here is a financial-sensibility one. I never understood folk who spend $125K to build a custom show rod, then put it up for sale/struggle to get $75K for it a year later. Just open the window and thru your money into the flower bed. I stand to 'get out' (were I ever to sell it) in the ballpark of what I put into it. A '75 Beetle with a $50K EV conversion can't be worth even $20K. Why would it- the rest of the car is still a shitbox. Yeah; I know the early vans are worth a lot- I wonder if EV'ing those would actually decrease their value. I don't follow their values to comment with any authority there... but USUALLY high dollar collectibles drop when customized. If you have money to burn & just don't care, coat your Vega in diamond dust. But if you hope not to lose your shirt building a car project, tread very lightly dumping $50K into a beater (OR a high dollar collectible)! Do your research... except I don't believe the collector market has yet spoken on EV-converted collectible values yet.

Good news, I can go Ranger off roading and nto get my shiny black truck dirty... https://fordauthority.com/2020/11/virtual-ford-ranger-raptor-cruises-through-grand-theft-auto-5-video/

Neat Restomod Bronco. I really like Bronco's old or new in light grey. If I get one, I would love cactus grey. But Video is hugely cool. They grey interior sets this off nicely.

For a guy who spent a good many years absolutely hating Ford, I gotta say they are impressing the hell out of me right now. My Ranger is one of my five favorite ever vehicles...others being 66 Fastback Mustang, 55 Chevy 2 Door, 2002 NB Miata, 2015 diesel Jetta. Defroster is best of any vehicle I ahve ever owned, which is just awesome for Ohio fall mornings. Average fuel economy contin eus to drop slightly as he gets broken in and I esxplore the boost in ecoboost more, and also haul more heavy loads of lumber. For SUV's though, It would be game over Lincoln if I were buying a luxury SUV. I love the current lineup. Especially the interiors. Love the modern architecture of the house also.

Plus Ford is telling people to expect very high depreciation on the EV Mustang, and has dropped the price by $3000. Kind of like Pony cars and muscle cars in the 60's, everything has it's saturation point. There is a reason AMC did not sell a quarter of a million Javelins or AMX's in 1971. I think there is a market for electric vehicles, Obviously. VW is selling a ton in Europe, Norway is highly electrified, Tesla is selling a ton of vehicles, Rivian has a bunch of deposits, high interest in electric commercial light delivery vehicles, China is building a bunch of electrics, etc. However GM's approach to this is the same thing that caused them to loose all of the brand equity in cars they had like the Impala, Cutlass, Grand Prix, etc. Namesly, making about the dumbest possible production and marketing decisions and expecting people to live with them when other choices are available. A Frumpy little hatchback and a Vaporware super truck are way outside the parameteres of what most EV customers want, so the free market will bitch slap GM like it was a 20 dollar whore refusing to give a blow job in a back alley.

So is this how Barra's going to do it... they've admitted to losing MANY THOUSANDS of dollars on every Bolt sold AT MSRP... $13,707 MORE OFF MSRP puts the corporation WAY into the hole trying to make ppl take the bait. This is the sad (but amusing) reality when you get out of wack-o West Coast Amerika when it comes to EV. So awkward and grammatically incorrect. So you're saying that ppl who live in an area with coal-fired electric plants are not allowed to buy EV? Please clear the air on this.

and yet they won't let permits be granted for precious metal mining to make all these kajillion batteries. no charge network, cold weather issues. yes, it will take time for the technology develop for the MASSES. Unless they are trying to get the masses out of their cars and only select few get a car.

Not Everyone got invited to the live Barclays 2020 Automotive Conference, but there is the PDF press release you can get all the juicy details on GM over the next 10 years of what they wanted to announce here: https://investor.gm.com/static-files/66b83c73-17f3-426a-9618-393cea479c19 The Chart set that has additional cool details is available here: https://investor.gm.com/static-files/6e4732bd-c07d-43c0-80e8-9e2294b903fc Cool part is that multiple auto sources were there on the Video concall and did screen captures of EV's they talked about. Example is the TEASE of the all new Chevrolet EV Pickup Truck. The Silverado pickup will have a 400 mile battery pack and higher options as well. https://electrek.co/2020/11/19/gm-teases-electric-pickup-truck-prototype/ Here is the full screen image grabbed by Electrek that shows the Hummer by GMC SUV and what is a Chevrolet CUV EV. https://electrek.co/2020/11/19/gmc-hummer-ev-suv-version-first-peek/

@oldshurst442 Guess you guys have a Major Crack Drug problem up north. Moose cannot get enough of licking your salt caked cars. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=753282775223716 https://www.facebook.com/709773081/videos/10160402143523082/ Nothing like 1,800 lbs of Moose looking at ya while licking your car clean! https://www.thedrive.com/news/37736/now-canada-has-road-signs-telling-people-not-to-let-moose-lick-their-cars

GM has officially put Tesla on notice that it is going to be #1 in North America with 40% of their auto sales here being EV's with 30 model options and on par with ICE costs by 2025. https://jalopnik.com/gm-has-fighting-words-for-tesla-1845719732

Amazon Prime first EV delivery van from Rivian out in the wild working. https://www.instagram.com/p/CHx910HHpVU/

So you're finally admitting EV are a hopeless, regional dream not shared with the VAST majority of consumers?

The question remains if GM's 25 or 30 "new" EV models will be in addition to or replacing, existing models. The half-handful that have been shown were additions. The Mach-E didn't replace any Mustang, so with Ford dedicated long-term to the Mustang, the Mach-E automatic has no bearing on the manual in the Mustang.

Photo Gallery EXTERIOR View of the Spark with the Minnesota State Capitol in the background View of the Spark at the MSP viewing area - this unit had alloy wheels, but many do not Doesn't this take one back to the door handle for W-body coupes from 1988 to 1996? This is how the rear door handles are set up. The Spark is not very wide INTERIOR Overall view of the dashboard Angled view of dashboard, console, and gear selector Spark main instrument cluster - (from left to right) fuel gauge, tach, speedo, and info box, with warning lights for other functions This is the center stack; the vents are slightly low if air conditioning was being sought Here are the ubiquitous GM climate control dials, be it for this Spark or their upline vehicles. Maybe making so many of them and putting them into so many cars makes them more reliable? Here is the typical GM hardware for power windows, power door locks, and power adjustable outside mirrors This system of having both a shelf and a glove box is useful Cloth seating is black is standard in the Spark; this vehicle had an armrest, but note that there is no console with a storage bin This demonstrates rear legroom in this small 5-door hatchback and a trippy cup holder and other recessed area between the seating spaces; the seats on this one were 60-40 and can fold down to augment trunk space While it's a little chunky, visibility was adequate, partially because of the more upright rear back lite ... this is actually better than some rear pillars I've seen in many late model cars The trunk is on the smaller side and has the much needed cover. Suitcases can be put in on their sides to maximize space. Again, here you see the 60-40 split of the rear seats. GM got this right, and I like having that slot to insert one's hand to bring down the trunk or hatch door. It's even included on this entry level car. MECHANICAL We've known the Ecotec branding of (4 cylinder) GM engines for about 2 decades plus, if I'm not mistaken GM engine compartments are among the more cleanly and clearly laid out ones and, of course, a shroud over the top of the spark plugs and the manifold and intake area helps make them look that way - - - - - END OF PHOTOS

And my key point is that whether you looked online, there are apparently plenty in other areas that have them so it may be a case of your situation being in the minority as opposed to the majority of folks in a state as physically small as New Jersey.

^ I was shocked to see a civic TOWING a (admittedly World’s Tiniest) row boat on a (again; World’s Tiniest) trailer the other week.

Whilst going through the drivethru at Walgreens this afternoon, was behind a late model Civic with an Ohio ‘Truck’ license plate. Odd.

I also noticed that high maintenance cost and wish they would break it out to better understand what it relates too compared to the ICE version. It does go against everything Tesla has said as well as what real world owners post about such a low cost maintenance.

VW ID4 global reveal

More Wipshaw trail.

Since I brought up old Beetles elsewhere, here's a nicely-presented / great patina'd '59 bug with the rare retractable canvas 'sunroof' and some mechanical upgrades. Has 29 hrs left on ebay, but it's 'only' been bid to $13K so far. Would anyone take a rare bug 'worth' -say- $15K, then put $65K into it (EVWest EV conversion cost)... and what would it be worth then? $65K? $50K? $25K... or $5K? - - - - -

One of the most Iconic customs ever.

Cool, is it waiting for a diesel-powered tender truck to come and switch out the battery, or tow it in? Also it's so CUTE... what sort of manly drivers does Amazon hire who want to be seen in this cartoonish little fella?

OEMs certainly can bring out all sorts of electric vehicles... but you can't FORCE a consumer to buy them; that has to come organically. They are the newbie that has to compete for the consumer's wallet by being competitive to the established market. Perhaps one day it will be a sweeping tide, and I expect it to increase substantially over time... but there's no way you can mandate it by decree in 9 years. All realistic future projections have to be based largely on present & past plots.

I see it as a very economical commuter auto / inner city living type auto. GM needs to get an equal in price and size EV for the dense cities as I think it will do well. The Bolt is too expensive for people who are looking for this kind of auto. The future is going to be very interesting.

Interesting auto, decent first auto for a young person. Thank you for reviewing it.

Photos: 1. The Toyota Rav4 at a roadside pull out 2. The overall interior environment upon entering; I'm not digging on the urethane steering wheel, nor its controls 3. The fairly firm and supportive front bucket seats, durable looking cloth fabric, headrests for which I haven't decided on their ergonomics, and a large storage area inside the center console 4. The overhead cabin light is more easily adjusted from the rear seat; the tonneau cover hides what you have in the storage area well 5. This is what the rearward view looks like from the driver's seat looks like; the seating area for those in the rear seats is very generous 6. The two main bezels make sense but other automakers have displayed the info in the middle in more logical groupings and colors, even the last-gen Ford Focus 7. Those two knobs were hilarious and the grooves in them look sort of dumb. Hey, I've found the radio! NOT. Those are temperature adjustments, and then some. I meant to mention that, while the air blows out of the center vents very well, the flow is weaker from the side vents ... even weaker than in the older domestic cars I've had. The "laptop left open" infotainment that is ubiquitous these days is up above the center stack. (Some of you probably wouldn't like the music I was streaming.) 8. These are the window and lock controls in the door armrest. There is another cup holder below, with a map pocket. 9. The height of the console is good relative to the seating position and the seating position is also good. You have cars, such as the now departed last-gen LaCrosse and which are favored by more mature people, where the console height has the drivers sitting in there like astronauts ... not so here. 10. The drive mode buttons are conveniently placed, as is the parking brake control, right above them. 11. One of the better vantage points for the Toyota Rav 4 - - - - - End of photos