Short test: Fiat 500e La Prima (2021) // It also comes with electricity

The Fiat 500 deserves at least a quick glance in the rearview mirror, and if a good chronicler was found, I could write a rather thick book about it. In fact, the thickest book about the smallest car. His birth certificate had 1957 inscribed, and next year there will be a birthday party with a cake that must be big enough to have 65 candles on it (well, maybe there will be LEDs in the spirit of modernity).

Presumably the year Fiat christened the first generation Cinquecento wasn't all that bad. Italy has broken free from post-war convulsions. The economy began to show signs of prosperity, an above average harvest was promised, motorists watched the Formula 1 races in Monza, and in the citta piu motorists (the automotive city itself) a small car career began that marked Italians badly. mobility. It was the birthday of the Fiat 500, one of the most successful small cars in history and a vehicle for one and all.

The kid immediately conquered Italian hearts, although the two-cylinder gasoline engine rumbled and smelled in the back., barely enough room for two passengers and a basket of fruits and vegetables from the market. Of course, it was made in the Italian style, i.e. superficially and casually, but at the same time it was cheap and so simple that any country locksmith who worked with a garden mower in his home garage could fix it. At the time, of course, no one thought that one day he would run on electricity rather than gasoline.

There is virtually no car that hasn't experienced ups and downs over the years, so the Fiat 500 also has gaps toIn the original version, I was produced until 1975, when the latter was brought from the Fiat factory in Sicily.... Fiat then tried to fill the gap with less fortunate replacements, and 14 years ago they revived the spirit of the famous original with its reincarnation adapted to the times and circumstances. The modern Fiat 500 only went through a slightly more extensive facelift last year, and now we're here in terms of electricity.

I confess that despite all the electric vehicles I have tried, I remain an electroskeptic and believe that an electric propulsion system, if there should be one, is especially suitable for small city cars. And the Fiat 500 is a baby that's perfect for city driving, tight parking lots, and frail young women who don't know much about cars and see their Cinquecento primarily as a fashion accessory.

So, the smallest Fiat has entered the electric era, and the more powerful of the two electric motors with a toddler doesn't require heavy work, as 87 kilowatts of power and 220 Nm of torque is enough to accelerate from standstill to 100 kilometers per hour in nine seconds. and a maximum speed of 150 kilometers per hour, so it is also suitable for driving on motorways. Unfortunately, I cannot write anything about the sound of the engine, which is absent and is replaced by a weak whistle, which is joined by a rather loud gust of wind with increasing speed.

The steering and chassis are in line with expectations. The sudden turn on a less congested country road amused me immensely with the simple hint of a tendency to curl at the rear of the car.and slightly less relatively rough rolling on uneven asphalt, the 17-inch wheels have low cross-section tires, and the shock absorber does not completely eliminate the impact of bumps, but of course the stiffer springs should tame the plentiful (extra) weight. And it's a good thing the Electric 500 has adaptive cruise control and plenty of electronic assistants, just like the larger cars do.

Upon entering the passenger compartment, it turns out that the baby is not adapted to people whom nature has endowed with a few more centimeters of growth. Access to the back of the bench requires a lot of flexibility, and even a young teenager cannot sit on it particularly comfortably. The front is also a bit cramped, although the seats are proportional and comfortable. The trunk, like six and a half decades ago, holds a business bag and a few grocery bags with a base volume of 185 liters, while it holds a good half a cubic meter of luggage with the backrests down.

The interior is endowed with all modern advances in information and entertainment. For the smartphone, in addition to the seven-inch screen, a charging platform is available on the center console. with digital gauges, a central 10,25-inch communications screen sits in the center of the dashboard, which is commendable for its crisp graphics and responsiveness... Fortunately, Fiat retained so much prudence and wisdom that it retained a few mechanical switches, and on the inside of the door, the opening hook was replaced with a circular solenoid switch and an emergency lever in case something went wrong.

If the factory numbers matched actual electricity consumption, an electric Fiat 500 with a fully charged 42 kilowatt-hour battery could drive about 320 kilometers, but the number indicating the range decreases faster than the number indicating the distance traveled. In fact, the need for electricity is one third higher than the calculation shows when driving according to the usual program., on the measuring circuit, we recorded 17,1 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, which means that the distance without intermediate power supply will be from 180 to 190 kilometers.

The consumption can be partially influenced by choosing one of three driving modes in addition to the usual two saving modes. The strictest of them is called Sherpa, which cuts off the larger consumers of electricity and limits the speed to 80 kilometers per hour, and the recuperation is so strong that it seemed to me that I was driving with the handbrake on. The slightly softer range, which takes care of the range extension, also allows for less brake use, and in the event of a deceleration, regeneration ensures that stopping is still decisive until it comes to a full stop.

On a home outlet, a discharged battery takes 15 hours to fully charge, if there is a wall charger in the garage, that time is reduced to a good four hours, and on a fast charger it takes 35 minutes to get 80 percent of the power. So just for a break with a crunchy croissant, extended coffee, and some exercise.

This is life with an electric car. In an urban environment, where the Fiat 500e does best, it is lighter than in rural areas. And so it will be, at least until the start of mass electrification.

Fiat 500e First (2021)

Basic data

Sales:	Avto Triglav doo
Test model cost:	39.079 €
Base model price with discounts:	38.990 €
Test model price discount:	37.909 €
Power:	87kW (118 KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h):	9,0 with
Maximum speed:	150 km / h
Mixed flow ECE:	14,4 kWh / 100 km / 100 km

Costs (per year)

Technical information

engine:	electric motor - maximum power 87 kW (118 hp) - constant power np - maximum torque 220 Nm.
Battery:	Lithium-ion-37,3 kWh.
Energy transfer:	the engine drives the front wheels - 1-speed gearbox.
Capacity:	top speed 150 km/h - 0-100 km/h acceleration 9,0 s - power consumption (WLTP) 14,4 kWh / 100 km - electric range (WLTP) 310 km - battery charging time 15 h 15 min, 2,3 kW, 13 A), 12 h 45 min (3,7 kW AC), 4 h 15 min (11 kW AC), 35 min (85 kW DC).
Mass:	empty vehicle 1.290 kg - permissible gross weight 1.690 kg.
External dimensions:	length 3.632 mm - width 1.683 mm - height 1.527 mm - wheelbase 2.322 mm.
Box:	185

evaluation

• It's hard to believe that the cute electric baby, at least in form, doesn't love anyone. Of course, the more open question is who is willing to pay this amount, which is still quite salty even after deducting the government subsidy. Well, fortunately, Fiat still has petrol-powered cars.

We praise and reproach

responsive and timeless exterior

capacity and position on the road

graphics and responsiveness of the communication screen

tightness on the back bench

relatively modest range

overly salty price