Meet the new Fiat 500 – the fully electric 500.
There was talk a while back that Fiat was going to ditch petrol-powered 500s and only sell electric versions of the car.
That seemed like a very bold move to me, especially as the 500 is Fiat’s only really successful model.
Clearly Fiat thought the same because the company is going to continue building the conventional car at its factory in Poland while it cracks on with making this new model at its manufacturing plant in Milan.
The car you’re looking at is far from being an existing 500 with its engine removed and replaced with an electric motor and a pack of lithium-ion batteries.
This is an all-new car that’s 61mm longer, 56mm wider and 40mm taller than the current 500. It’s also far more sophisticated and has a perceivably better quality.
Importantly, even though it’s bigger it still looks like a 500.
Four equipment levels are offered starting with the entry-level Action, then the Passion, Icon and La Prima. Both hatchback and convertible body styles are offered, but the latter only in the top three trims.
We’re testing a La Prima hatchback which costs £29,995 (the convertible is £3k more).
I’d be surprised if many customers buy the 500 in Action spec, not because it’s lacking in equipment because it isn’t, but because it comes with a 92bhp motor and 24kWh battery.
The other versions all have a 117bhp motor but more importantly a 42kWh battery that gives up to 200 miles of range against the smaller battery’s 120 mile range.
Battery capacity costs a lot of money and if you’re going to mainly use the car for short journeys, the smaller battery in the £19,995 Action would make a lot of sense.
Our family has owned two Fiat 500s (a hatchback and convertible), both bought new and both completely reliable, but this one is a step ahead in quality.
The paint finish is excellent and the detailing superb, from flush-fit door handles to nicely styled alloy wheels. That’s on the outside – a similar upscale feel continues inside.
Thanks to the extra wheelbase length there’s more rear legroom but it’s still tight. You have to remember that despite growing a bit, this car is still considerably shorter than a Ford Fiesta.
Our La Prima is well equipped with a 10.25in touchscreen, rear view camera, rain-sensing wipers and a lane-keeping system that alerts you if you start to drift.
Below the touchscreen is a row of buttons that allow you to control most functions without going into the screen.
Below these buttons is another row containing familiar PRND for making the car go. It’s all very simple and elegant.
One area improved over the regular 500 is seating which is more comfortable, and it helps that the steering wheel can now be adjusted for reach as well as height. The whole car feels more grown up.
You have the choice of three driving modes – Normal, Range and Sherpa.
The first does what it says and Range introduces strong regenerative braking. Sherpa is what others call Eco and which reduces power consumption and performance to eke out the range.
In Range the regenerative braking is quite abrupt but I like that so that would be my mode of choice. However, if I was hoping to achieve 200 miles, a lot of driving in Sherpa mode would be required.
The 500 has the perky acceleration from standstill that’s almost universal in electric cars where the 0-30mph time is far more impressive than 0-62mph, which in this car’s case is 9.0 seconds.
The ride is comfortable which is probably helped by the fact that the electric 500 weighs around 350kg more than the conventionally powered car.
The nearest direct rival to this model is the Mini Electric, a car that can’t match the Fiat for range and doesn’t feel as well thought out, either.
Owners of the current 500 who want to go electric but still want a stylish car with plenty of character are not going to be disappointed by this new arrival.
In fact, it’s an improvement.
What seemed like an eccentric move by Fiat turns out to have been a wise one.
THE FACTS
Fiat 500 La Prima
Price: £29,995
Engine: Single electric motor, 42 kWh battery, 117bhp
0-62 mph: 9.0 sec
Range: 199 miles
THE RIVALS
Renault Zoe GT Line
Renault’s pioneering EV now has a range of 240 miles.
Mini Electric Level 3
Range is shorter at 140 miles and Fiat feels better finished.
Peugeot e-208 Allure
More conventional looking than the Fiat but a brilliant car all the same. Our favourite small EV.
