The Fiat 500e is a tiny, inexpensive EV that’s solely emission is classical music

Stellantis introduced the all-new 2024 Fiat 500e, a tiny, inexpensive electrical automotive that could possibly be the proper antidote to all these outsized, bloated electrical SUVs and vehicles which are popping out quickly. The tiny EV will likely be out there in North America in early 2024.

The Fiat 500e is a good instance of the sort of car that makes lots of sense for cities and perhaps even some suburbs. It’s electrical, so it gained’t spew air pollution into the air. It’s small, so it takes up much less area and is, on steadiness, much less harmful to pedestrians, cyclists, and different individuals who share the highway.

Beginning at $34,095, the Fiat 500e will squeeze 149 miles of vary out of a 42 kWh battery pack, which sounds paltry in comparison with many long-range EVs available on the market right now. However when you think about the kind of one who may be on this EV, and the kind of driving, the vary estimate begins to make extra sense.

What the Fiat 500e lacks in vary and cargo area, it makes up for in attraction. The 500e apparently features a function known as the Acoustic Automobile Alert System, which is the usual low-speed audio warning that’s required of all EVs — with an Italian twist. The low-speed audio alert is definitely a classical composition known as “The sound of 500,” written by Flavio Ibba and Marco Gualdi.

“The unique melody offers a style of Italian tradition in the course of the first moments of each drive,” the corporate mentioned.

The Fiat 500e gained’t tear up the observe, essentially, with 117 horsepower and 162 lb. ft. of torque. The little EV can speed up 0–60 mph in 8.5 seconds — not essentially something to write down residence about, however once more, excellent for what we’re speaking about right here.

The value may also be questionable. I can already hear Tesla followers within the feedback noting {that a} Mannequin 3, with over 250 miles of vary and much more area, might be had for across the similar worth. However Fiat is making an attempt to make it worthwhile by tossing in a free Degree 2 residence charger from its subsidiary Free2Move.

The 500e can solely settle for a max of 85 kW of charging, which suggests no ultra-fast DC charging. That interprets to 31 miles of vary in 5 minutes, or 80 p.c in 35 minutes.

Crucial specification for the 500e is its weight: a thin 3,000 lbs. Stellantis predicts that this makes it “the lightest passenger [battery electric vehicle] within the phase.” That makes the 500e across the similar measurement because the discontinued BMW i3, which for a very long time was the reining champ in light-weight EVs.

EVs are usually heavier than gas-powered autos due to added battery weight. Automakers are making this worse by prioritizing the heaviest segments like SUVs and vehicles. Smaller, extra environment friendly EVs might assist handle the bloat within the phase, in addition to assist handle different essential points, like battery materials shortage.

The Fiat 500e will function three drive modes: Regular, Vary, and Sherpa, which maximizes vitality effectivity by limiting the highest pace to 50 mph and decreasing energy from 87 kWh to 57 kWh. Light-weight and low pace? Be nonetheless my beating coronary heart.

In fact, the Fiat 500e just isn’t for everybody. And given how SUV-and-truck-pilled American automotive patrons are nowadays, Stellantis may have its work minimize out for it. However the Fiat 500e might arrive on the proper time. Good automobiles are laborious to search out nowadays, because of many automakers declining to promote them in North America.

However Fiat, with a dad or mum firm that makes greater than sufficient income from the aforementioned truck and SUV segments, can afford to check the waters for small, light-weight EVs. May or not it’s that People, pummeled by more and more menacing-looking vehicles and bulletproof EVs, could possibly be able to go small once more?