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Chevy Spark EV will go on sale in Maryland

The single-charge range of a Chevrolet Spark electric vehicle may not blow away anyone who's used to driving on a topped off tank of gas. But a full charge will actually get a Spark EV about halfway across the state of Maryland. Which is good because that state will be the first on the East Coast to sell the battery-electric model. General Motors said this week that Chevy Spark EV sales will start in Maryland this spring, and that federal and Maryland tax credits will get the out-of-pocket price of the Spark EV below the $18,000 threshold. GM took the opportunity to tout the Spark EV's 119 miles per gallon equivalent rating and says Maryland has sufficient charging infrastructure for drivers to welcome the EV without too much trouble. Last June, Spark EV distribution was reported to be ready to extend beyond the Pacific Coast. Specifically, Ohio was thought to be next in line to get Spark electric vehicles after four state car dealerships listed the model on their websites. GM's Randy Fox, however, quashed that real quick, saying only California and Oregon had sufficient infrastructure to support the Spark EV. GM first announced the Spark EV for public (or at least American) consumption back in 2011. Last year, the General sold 1,145 Spark EVs, up 87 percent from 2013. For more on the Maryland expansion, take a look at GM's press release below. Chevrolet Spark EV Plugs into Maryland Customer demand drives addition of East Coast; features locally sourced drive unit 2015-01-22 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chevrolet will start selling the Spark EV in Maryland this spring, expanding the pure electric mini-car's "range" to the East Coast. The Spark EV is the most efficient U.S. retail electric vehicle on the market, delivering an EPA-estimated combined city/highway 119 MPGe fuel economy equivalent and 82 miles of EPA-estimated combined city/highway range. It is priced as low as $17,845, after federal and Maryland tax credits – and it features a locally sourced electric motor and drive unit, manufactured at General Motors' Baltimore Operations facility in White Marsh, Md. "The Spark EV has been one of the most well-received electric vehicles in the industry and customer demand helped make the decision to expand its availability to Maryland," said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of car marketing.

Who sold the most heavy-duty pickups in 2012? PickupTrucks.com investigates

Domestic manufacturers enjoyed a good year for heavy-duty pickup sales in 2012. PickupTrucks.com has taken a close look at exactly how those sales broke down between each manufacturer and between three-quarter and one-ton pickups. Ford sold some 67,786 F-250 Super Duty models last year with the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD falling just behind at 56,359 units. The Ram 2500 HD came in third at 41,918, while the GMC Sierra 2500 HD earned itself fourth place with 27,616 deliveries. While Ford held onto the top spot in the one-ton market, Ram easily nailed down second place by selling more 3500 HD models last year than General Motors sold Silverado 3500 HD and Sierra 3500 HD trucks combined.
So, did GM manage to sell more trucks than Ford with its two brands? Very nearly. Ford sold a total of 119,338 heavy-duty pickups to GM's 111,555. Ram, meanwhile, moved a distant 77,583. But perhaps more interesting is the diesel take rate in this segment. PickupTrucks.com says 80 percent of all domestic one-ton trucks roll from the dealer lot with a turbo-diesel under the hood. Head over to the site for a closer look at the breakdown.

C7 Corvette makes inaugural ad appearance in Chevy's first spot with new slogan

Chevrolet's "Runs Deep" tagline has finally been run into the ground, replaced with the Bowtie brand's "Find New Roads" slogan that's part of parent General Motors' plan to unify its everyday brand's marketing efforts worldwide. The new Chevrolet campaign was ushered in on prime time last night during the Grammy Awards on CBS, and the first spot, a 90-second full-line ad, also marks the first appearance of the 2014 Corvette Stingray in a commercial.
Being a full-line ad, the commercial is composed of vignettes centered on different vehicles in the brand's lineup. The all-new 2014 Impala also makes its first commercial appearance in dapper fashion, and time is spent on a skateboarding Sonic and a bouquet of brightly colored Spark hatchbacks driven by fashionable women. The ad starts and ends with Chevy's green halo car, the Volt, along with a young girl with her robotic dog (yes, really).
Chevrolet's "Runs Deep" campaign got off to a rocky start in the fall of 2010, but it did last for a couple of years with some tweaks. This new one, "Find New Roads" seems more intent on drawing new customers into the fold than the outgoing tagline, which seemed to play more toward the brand faithful. It admittedly reminds us more than a little the short-lived "Find Your Own Road" Saab motto (which, we note, was conceived while the Swedish brand was under GM's control), but no matter, we still think it's got more long-term potential than "Runs Deep."