Fiat’s 500e Electric – RED HEADED STRANGER

Fiat’s 500e Electric

RED HEADED STRANGER

“Rides like a go-kart.” The Wife

Santa Clarita, CA – Fiat’s new 500e (do I have to add EV?) sits on my daughter Lauren’s driveway, immediately next to her family’s Pacifica plug-in, while her husband Ethan’s 4Runner is at the curb. With the addition of the 500e for a dose of Level 2 charging, it’s a convergence of a plug-in hybrid, battery electric subcompact and a mildly thirsty, body-on-frame SUV. What could be more Los Angeles?

Except the Fiat 500e is Italian. Very Italian. Carrying the same basic shape introduced to U.S. audiences in 2011, along with a variant of an electric drivetrain last sold (if ‘sold’ is the word) here in 2019, the folks at Fiat are hoping their boutique philosophy plays better today than it did in the previous decade. And with enough charm to disarm, albeit with just 140 miles – or so – of range, they just might (MIGHT!) have something.

But first, let me give you the EV Math tutorial. At 6:45 on a Sunday morning I walked the ½ mile to collect the Fiat from Lauren and Ethan’s drive, hopefully with a full charge. And according to the 500e’s ‘info center’ I had 100% charge, showing 139 miles. My destination was a newsstand in Studio City, 23 miles away. For all that is lovely about Santa Clarita, it’s a news desert; the grocery stores have the L.A. Times, and Barnes and Noble might have the NY Times, but the bookstore’s distributor is unreliable – and no one has the Wall Street Journal. So, on Sundays I drive to Studio City. 

Heading south on I-5 I hadn’t intended to stay behind a Prius – doing about 65 – but that would have been the more prudent move. Instead, I keep up with the majority of traffic headed south, moving between 70 and 75 miles per hour. Long story less long: In driving the 46 miles to Studio City and back, I had reduced the available range from139 to 75. That’s a 64-mile reduction in range over those 46 miles. Welcome to EV math.

Of course, those lucky enough to have home charging shouldn’t worry about 140 miles of range or, for that matter, only 100 miles of capability, ‘cause few of us drive 100 miles on a daily basis. After charging at Lauren and Ethan’s with their Level 2 charger, I discovered the 500e’s own charger, a Level 1 cord designed for a 110 outlet. Level 1 charging can sometimes take a full two days on those bigger batteries beneath bigger cars. But with the battery down to 40% after the Studio City run, 18 hours later the 500e had just over 80% of its charge restored – and something like 100 miles. Off we go…

In the walk-up the Fiat EV is immediately recognizable as a 500, although its organic shape seems even more so, and it appears better planted on its 17-inch Pirelli Cinturatos. On a wheelbase of 91.4 inches the 500e stretches just under 12 feet, and boasts a curb weight of just 3,000 pounds. And that, obviously, is the benefit of a smaller battery with shorter range; the 500e remains nimble in a way that many EVs aren’t.

Inside, driver and passenger are greeted by a cleanly executed dash, with a digital presentation that’s relatively simple and, given where we are in this century, fairly intuitive. Shoulder, leg and headroom are generous in the front, better suited to your pre-teens in the rear. But that rear seat folds, and two could survive for some two weeks with what luggage the rear hatch will accommodate. It’s far more versatile – with the rear seat folded – than the official cargo figure of 8 cubic feet (the space behind the rear seat) would suggest. 

The motor delivers 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, propelling the 500e from 0-60 – according to Car and Driver – in just under 8 seconds; in short, this ain’t no Teslarossa, but neither is it the ’57 Fiat 500, propelled (if you can call it that) by 500cc of air-cooled nonchalance. The 500e moves when you want it to, and the short wheelbase and overall length allows you to target parking spots that you wouldn’t even think about in most cars – and virtually no trucks.

At a window sticker of around $35K, the 500e doesn’t really represent good value, Its design is cute, and its execution is smart. (Back in my day you wouldn’t combine the two.). But on Fiat’s 125^th anniversary, the company successfully combines cute and smart in a compelling confection. However, you shouldn’t buy it; you should lease it, with an expected monthly payment to be about $300/month. And if not having to buy gas that’s cheap enough.

In an ideal world, Fiat would offer to the U.S. the earlier, gas-powered 500 – in both standard and Abarth spec – along with an evolved, more competitive 500X crossover. And, of course, it could sell variants of the 500e’s electrified powertrain, perhaps fitted to both this 2-door hatch and a 4-door update of the much more versatile Multipla. And while at it, the suits at Stellantis might get around to creating an actual dealer network for Fiat. 

I understand Tesla is doing that. Fiat should watch. And learn.

AND IF BUYING A FIAT…SHOW IT OFF!

As Fiat celebrates its 125th anniversary, Grapevine’s ItalianCarFest is marking twenty years of its own celebration, embracing all of Italy’s renowned motoring excellence, on both four wheels and two. The event is again at Nash Farm, and will begin at 10:00 a.m. on September 7^th. More info can be found here: https://www.italiancarfest.org/. And with a few weeks before the get-together you have time to buy your own piece of Italian history…even if it’s new.