1 of 300 Corbin Sparrow microcars fetches nearly $7k despite a dead battery

A Corbin Sparrow supermini EV found a new owner earlier this week who handed over $6,911 for it – perhaps because only 300 such vehicles were made at the turn of the millennium.

The car with the model name ‘Corbin Sparrow’ was produced from 1999 until 2003. Myers Motor briefly revived the production under its own branding in 2005, delivering another handful of cars against custom orders. It is unclear how many are still around.

Sized 2,438 x 1,219 x 1,448 mm with 1,829 mm of wheelbase (inches: 95.2 x 47.6 x 56.6 with 71.5in between the axles), the Sparrow is even smaller than the Smart ForTwo. It is a single-seater that nonetheless has power windows, a trunk area and an audio system with a CD player.

The powertrain consists of an electric motor rated at 26 PS (26 hp / 19 kW) and a battery pack rated for 80 km (50 miles) of range. The top speed is capped at 121 km/h, or 75 mph. The example sold had a touch over 2,700 km (1,677 miles) under its belt and a faulty battery that needed replacement before it would start again.