Old World Industries heavily publicized their Splitfire sparkplugs product line in early 1990. Splitfire sparkplugs feature a divided ground electrode. As the flame kernel is not blocked by a strap of land as in the case of spark plugs, it could easily trip up the "v" notch into the combustion chamber.

Splitfire sparkplugs that we knew are no longer available in the United States to replace, SplitFire has released Classic SplitFire "a traditional candle with a standard electrode, available in platinum and nickel.

For fans of the original V spark plug SplitFire, E3 Spark Plugs provide a concept of single electrode, using the same concept as Splitfire.

E3 has taken the best features of traditional spark plugs, such as cut-back ground electrodes and surface gaps, and combined them to create a new ground electrode design. Surface gap plugs present the kernel of flame to the piston (or rotor) more directly, reducing the travel time of the spark for the combustion gases (Although this difference is only measurable in hundred thousandths of a second at 5000 rpm min, they can add up).

This avoids the donut "shaped flame created by ignition electrodes traditional cork. This is achieved in the E3 design through the open section on top of the ground electrode. E3 spark plugs combine the benefits of additional edges of electrodes with a very sharp cut-back ground electrode design commonly used on some racing spark plugs. Increased technology available in the area of advanced encourages more rapid spark discharge while also reducing quenching and shadowing at the same time. The three legs that support the special geometry of the plug-road automotive E3 electrode aid in heat dissipation to prolong the life of the electrode. The center electrode on E3 spark plugs is created from an alloy of nickel with a copper core center both for improved heat dissipation and conductivity.