Chevy Spark EV Electric Car Sales Suddenly Surged; Here's Why

It was one of the major electric-car news stories last month: Sales of the Chevrolet Spark EV electric minicar soared to 920 in April.

The electric Spark had consistently sold at around 100 cars a month since its June 2013 launch.

And it was widely considered to be a compliance car: one sold only in California and a few other locales to meet that state's Zero-Emission Vehicle sales rules.

DON'T MISS: 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV Price Cut To $25,995; $139 Lease, No Money Down

Then GM cut the price of the Spark EV in the three states where it's sold: California, Oregon, and most recently, Maryland.

While the offers in each state varied, the end result was a list price of $25,995 before incentives and, more importantly, a $139 monthly lease with no money down.

As they had with the Fiat 500e at similarly low prices, sales soared.

One example: A group of race drivers and friends in California ending up passing around the word about the inexpensive Fiat 500e leases, to the point that they alone bought more than 100 of them in a single month.

CHECK THIS OUT: Group Buy Of Fiat 500e Electric Cars Ignites 'Feeding Frenzy,' 100-Plus Bought

Once the new prices were announced, sales of the Spark EV soared as well. There were 920 sold in April, then an additional 283 last month.

Sales may well have been higher if supply could have kept pace.

Chevrolet has asked its assembly plant in South Korea for more Spark EVs, said Annalisa Bluhm, of Chevy communications.

Still, more than one-third of the 3,243 electric Sparks sold over the last 24 months were delivered in April and May alone.

ALSO SEE: Why Electric Cars Are Rare Outside CA: Arcane 'Travel Provision' Rule