DETROIT -- General Motors says its Chevrolet Spark EV will get the equivalent of 119 mpg in combined city and highway driving, the best efficiency of any U.S. car on sale to the public.
The 2014 Spark EV, which will be launched this summer in California and Oregon, will have an EPA-rated range of 82 miles when fully charged, GM said in a statement.
Other EVs sold or scheduled for introduction in the United States include the Nissan Leaf, Fiat 500e, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Scion iQ EV, Honda Fit EV and the Ford Focus Electric.
The Scion iQ EV is rated by the EPA at the equivalent of 121 mpg but is used only in car-sharing demonstration programs and not sold by retailers, a Scion spokesman said. The EPA created the miles per gallon equivalency rating to help consumers compare the efficiency of gasoline-powered and electric vehicles.
The Fiat 500e, which Chrysler Group is launching this month in California, has a longer range than the Spark EV, at 87 miles. The Leaf, the top-selling pure EV, has a 73-mile range.
GM has said the Spark EV will be priced less than $25,000 with tax incentives. Spark EV buyers will qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit, which means an effective sticker price in the low $30,000s.
GM also is launching the Spark EV in Canada, South Korea and Europe. The company will consider selling the car in other U.S. regions, a spokeswoman says.
