GM to launch electric vehicles Spark in 2013

A123 Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:AONE) that had surged 26.59% on news that the developer and manufacturer of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and battery systems will be supplying the batteries for GM’s all-electric Chevrolet Spark minicar is trading at $3.91, down 6.72%. This week, GM announced it will launch an all-electric car under the Chevrolet brand, the Spark EV. The electric car is basically an electric version of the Spark mini-car and will be sold in limited quantities in the U.S., including California, starting in 2013.

The company also announced it has started working on its new concept vehicle, the Chevrolet EN-V. The Spark EV will be built using feedback from Chevy’s electric vehicle demonstration fleets in Shanghai (Sail EV), Korea (Cruze EV) and India (Beat EV), the automaker states. The car’s nanophosphate lithium-ion battery packs will be provided by A123 Systems. Other than that, details are scarce.

In addition, GM announced that it has begun work on its next-generation EN-V concept car, which will also carry the Chevrolet badge. This car will feature one of those crazy, futuristic designs in the form of a 2-seater, zero-emissions vehicle developed specifically for increasingly crowded urban areas.

The Chevrolet EN-V (short for Electric Networked-Vehicle), will add new features like climate control, personal storage space and all-weather and road condition operation. It will also include elements from the original EN-V, like its small footprint and maneuverability, battery electric propulsion, connectivity and autonomous driving capabilities.

www.gm.com