Fiat’s New 500? Maybe…
As Fiat reboots the Italian assembly line for its New 500, the brand’s Australian subsidiary is weighing up whether or not to import the all-new, but familiar-looking, EV.
“We’re looking at it,” confirms Fiat Chrysler Australia corporate communications director Tracie Stoltenburg.
Though the New 500’s shape closely mimics the internal-combustion powered 500 on sale today, the similarities are superficial. The EV is longer and wider. There’s also a little more distance between its front and rear axles.
Underneath, the New 500 is a purpose-designed chassis that’s totally different from that of the internal-combustion version of Fiat’s successful city car.
The EV has a 42kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a single 87kW electric motor. The Fiat’s driving range 320km, according to the new (and reasonably realistic) WLTP standard. It will do better than this in urban conditions. Fiat Europe chief Luca Napolitana promises “400km when only driving within the city”.
Production will begin in July with the La Prima version, a limited-edition cabrio equipped with every available option, first off the line.
The New 500 La Prima stands out for its 85kW DC fast charging ability. This is well above the 50kW small-EV norm, and means the Fiat can add 50km of driving range in only five minutes when connected to a higher-rated DC charger. The New 500 is also equipped with a 7.4kW on-board AC charger intended for use with a compatible home wallbox.
Inside, the New 500 introduces Fiat’s new Android-based infotainment system. The La Prima launch edition also features an impressive suite of driver-assist and active-safety technologies.
The launch edition is expensive. Priced at €37,900 in Europe (before various national incentives are taken into account), the top New 500 is in the same territory as a mid-grade Nissan Leaf. Fiat plans to expand the line-up with more affordable variants as production at its Mirafiori factory in Turin ramps up to full speed.
To compete with the Zoe, Renault’s successful small EV, expect Fiat to price the most affordable versions of the New 500 in the €25,000 to €30,000 bracket. In Australia this would translate to roughly $40,000 to $50,000. The New 500 won’t replace the current 500 immediately. Fiat will continue churning out the internal-combustion car at its factory in Poland for some years yet.
