More details on all-new Fiat 500 EV
Retro pint-sized hatch reinvented with pure-electric power; gets 320km range and more upmarket feel, but also a hefty price hikeFiat has released more details of the all-new Fiat 500 city-car it plans to launch late this year in Europe.
Unveiled online in the wake of the cancelled Geneva show earlier this week, the battery-powered hatch will initially be available in convertible Fiat 500C form first when sales begin towards the end of this year, said the Italian car-maker.
Replacing the ancient second-gen Fiat 500, which first went on sale back in 2007, the new car is based on an all-new platform that sees the small EV grow in size – but not by much.
The little 500 is now 3630mm long, 1690mm wide and 1530mm tall, making it 60mm wider, 60mm longer and 40mm taller than before, while the wheelbase increases by 20mm.
From day one the new Fiat 500 will be pure-electric, with both petrol and diesel ruled out. Therefore its future in EV-resistant Australia remains unclear at this stage.
Powered by a small 42kWh lithium-ion battery, the Fiat 500 is driven by an 87kW electric motor that can cover up to 320km between charges on the strict WLTP test cycle.
Away from the lights, the tiny plug-in Fiat can reach 100km/h in nine seconds – but the Italian car-maker says more relevant is its 0-50km/h time of 3.1 seconds.
Top speed, meanwhile, is 150km/h.
Maximising its range, the small Fiat has three driving modes, with the most efficient setting, the 'Sherpa' mode, said to reduce power, throttle response and climate control.
Reducing charging times, the 500 gets an 85kW rapid-charging system that can top up the battery from empty to 80 per cent in 35 minutes.
Just five minutes of recharging is claimed to provide 50km of range.
Inside, Fiat has confirmed the 500 comes with a 10.25-inch touch-screen that runs FCA's latest Uconnect 5 system and offers sat-nav, wi-fi, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The instrument panel has also been to switched to the car-maker's latest 7.0-inch TFT digital display.
Fresh new tech adopted by the new Fiat 500 includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, a driver drowsiness detection and 360-degree parking camera.
Set to go on sale in late 2020 or early 2021 in markets like the UK, the new Fiat 500 will come with a large price bump, with prices reported to begin at £29,000 ($A55,000).
Following the launch of the convertible, a conventional three-door hatch will join the range later in 2021 and a five-door version is also said to be in the works.
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