Fiat 500 electrical – long-term evaluation – Report No:9 2022

“It’s attractive,” cooed passers-by as I used to be sat charging BabyCar – sorry, High Gear’s long-term Fiat 500e. The place each different automobile on the highway seems to be ‘shouting’ at you – to paraphrase what Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath instructed us lately – the five hundred, with its puppy-dog eyes and cute proportions looks like a cause to smile.

Is this why we prefer it? Objectively, there are a number of necessary issues to contemplate. It’s a automobile constructed for town, however when you truly dwell within the metropolis chances are high you gained’t have entry to house charging. I do dwell within the metropolis, and I didn’t have entry to house charging. Which meant I spent a disproportionate period of time trying to find quick charging.

Costly to refill e-juice within the metropolis too, as we’ve found in earlier instalments. Not simply the juice, however with costs beginning at £28,835 for the ‘Icon’ trim which we ran, it’s an costly small automobile. Although, judging by how nuts the used automobile market has develop into, perhaps not a lot anymore.

And regardless of Fiat proudly claiming 199 miles of vary from a full cost, I by no means noticed the readout show greater than 161 miles on a full battery. As with all EVs, colder climes and really utilizing the tools – heating, A/C – eats into the battery. Certainly, Fiat explains up entrance that utilizing the heater can have an effect on the vary by as much as 40 per cent.

So it requires a little bit of ahead planning, which kinda contradicts the purpose of a small, peppy city EV, no? The thought of doing zoomies within the metropolis with merry abandon to go and drink espresso and cavort and so forth doesn’t sit simply with the fact of getting to craft a technique on the place and when to cost.

On which be aware, there’s an unbridled thrill to find a correct 50kW quick charger. Throughout our time within the 500e, we managed simply over 4mpkWh – at one level cresting as excessive as 4.6 – which is first rate, and contemplating most city journeys aren’t too onerous, the 500e presents loads of vary for every day life.

Plus, it rides and steers effectively: comfy however not wafty, paired with gentle, straightforward steering that’s geared completely for city. The regenerative braking takes some getting used to – as you’ll have examine in my first expertise with it – however in a short time it’s really easy to develop a one-pedal driving fashion that utilizing the brake pedal feels such as you’re doing one thing improper.

Nothing improper with the spec. We lucked out with Rose Gold paint and black wheels – particular point out to the Ocean Inexperienced paint too – as a result of it appears to be like plush. The Fiat 500’s legacy stretches again many years, and has nearly develop into shorthand for Italian fashion (perhaps to the purpose of cliché), however in its new guise as a full EV, there’s no denying it is a stunning, fascinating little factor. You simply must be conscious that this isn’t an affordable small automobile. It isn’t a automobile you may purchase to economize, actually. However that applies to so many vogue equipment, proper? Should you could be bothered to place the hassle (and cash) in to run it, we will heartily advocate it.