Fiat has been a long time coming when it comes to electric driving, but the brand new Fiat 500 is only available as an EV and immediately turns out to be a significant improvement compared to the petrol variant that it follows.
The FCA group is now part of the PSA group under the new, joint name Stellantis, but at the last minute the Italians just brought their first full-fledged EV on the market: a car that Fiat has developed completely independently on its own, brand new platform. It concerns the new Fiat 500. It is only the third generation with this name, of which generation two has lasted an extremely long time. In fact, with mild hybrid powertrains, that car will simply remain for sale, because electric driving is not yet a serious option everywhere. But the ‘New 500’ is fully electric and thus competes with new group members such as the electric Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, both of which are on the EMP1 platform of the French. The question is therefore whether Fiat may continue to use its own new platform for small (electric) cars in the future, or whether the Stellaantis management considers this unnecessary. The new electric 500 could therefore become a unique car.
The basic principle of an electric car is of course ideal for a model like the 500. The type is in any case more intended for the busy Italian city centers than for long highway trips and let that first area be the terrain where the EV excels. The car comes in two variants. A 24 kWh version will follow later, which is more attractively priced, but the story begins with a fat 42 kWh variant. And yes, we even have a convertible, still a rarity in EV land; Smart is the only one to offer a homeless electric car. A nice feature, but the Targa roof makes little difference to the other features of the Fiat 500.
Well done
The Fiat therefore has 42 kWh, with which it can supply power to a 118 hp electric motor. As an entry-level car, it has less power, but we would leave that basic version. According to the WLTP cycle, the test car travels more than 300 kilometers on a single charge. Charging can be done at home or at a public pole with three phases, which is very nice. If you want fast charging, you can do that up to 85 kW, something that is impressive for this segment and which greatly increases the practicality.
The practical range of the 500e is very nice with 260 kilometers compared to the WLTP value. We drove the car on not even very warm days, although six degrees is no longer an ice age. This Fiat shows that the step from 150 kilometers, as it was very common ten years ago, to 250 kilometers in the Netherlands is an extremely big difference. Suddenly you get where you need to be without range or loading stress. Well done. The car also appears modest in showing remaining kilometers, so that it does not suddenly go off 30 kilometers after driving 5 kilometers because you have switched on the heating.
The driving itself is done in the Fiat in a way that we are used to from its predecessor. The 118 hp turn out to be more than enough and make the Italian nice and smooth, which he is of course helped by the torque of 220 Nm that is available from a standstill. The steering is light, direct and quite numb, also something we know from its predecessor. Nice if you have to make a lot of tight turns. The previous 500 was already a pretty stiff car, and the new one is no different. In fact, the somewhat high weight of the batteries provides an even harder damping. On a smooth road surface or possibly on some cobblestones, that leads at most to some dribbling, but over thresholds the rear axle is just uncomfortably hard if you don’t go over it at a crawling pace. This is something to keep in mind if you encounter a lot of them on your daily commute.
Depending on the selected driving position, the car does not brake to much on the engine and those choices are pleasant. All in all, this makes the 500 a car that should be just your taste when it comes to driving; he has personality, you can taste the Italian alertness in it.
slightly wider
The Fiat 500e looks a lot more mature on the inside than its predecessor. The seating position is better, the materials are higher quality and it all feels and looks a lot more spacious. The new multimedia system is modern and very extensive, so you sometimes have to search for the right menus. The car is expensive, but also includes luxury options such as heated seats and automatic cruise control. It may be more spacious in the back than before, but that only means that you can now store children up to 8 years instead of 4 years.
The fact that the driven 500 is a Convertible makes remarkably little difference to the space, the whole of course looks more like a Targa roof than a real convertible. It does make the car logically more expensive; subtract € 3,000 and you know how much the hatchback costs.
The Fiat knows how to fulfill its 500 role as an EV very well. It drives as 500 drivers will expect (be careful with thresholds), but has matured in all areas. At the most, because of its cramped interior space, it may not be a realistic option for everyone. The fact that the Italians immediately set high scores for charging with their first full-fledged EV and the range is also commendable.