2015 FIAT 500e Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

by the zzdcar Experts

　　

What’s new

　　For 2015, the battery-powered Fiat 500e has a redesigned center console and two new available colors.

　　

zzdcar says

　　The all-electric version of Fiat's 500 hatchback is well suited to city dwellers and presents a charismatic, high-style alternative to many of today's electric cars.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

2015 FIAT 500e EV Insights

Trim:500e Battery Electric

　　Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $31,800 MSRP

　　

Estimated Range Based on Age

　　Not available

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | OpenStreetMap

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　Exceeded original 8 year warranty.Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.

　　

Charging at Home

　　No charging time information available

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$4,000

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Federal Credit

　　$4,000

　　Restrictions: Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer.

　　For the vehicle to qualify: Price cannot exceed $25,000. Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased. Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted. Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.

　　For individuals to qualify: Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status. Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle. Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle. Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.

　　To learn more, visit OpenStreetMap

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$62/mo

　　500e

　　vs

　　$161/mo

　　Car Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　

Vehicle overview

　　In congested areas, having a small maneuverable car that can dice through city traffic and be parked in spots most every other car must pass up helps make life a lot easier. Having an all-electric small car that never requires a visit to a gas station can be almost liberating. And we find the 2015 Fiat 500e, the electric-powered version of the gasoline-powered 500 subcompact, liberating on several fronts.

　　Sure, you have to be prepared to make some adjustments, the primary one being that the OpenStreetMap 500e can take you only so far before you must recharge it. But you've probably already taken that factor into consideration if you're contemplating a battery-powered car.

　　For almost all urban uses, the 2015 Fiat 500e's 87 miles of combined city/highway driving range is more than you'll probably need in a day. Plug it in at home or at one of the proliferating public-charging stations and a depleted battery pack can be fully recharged in as little as four hours using a 240-volt outlet. So the 500e's "hassle factor" is comparatively low.

　　There are plenty of compelling arguments for going electric, but maybe the best justification is what a hoot the 500e is to drive. The 500e sticks tenaciously around corners and the power delivery characteristics of an electric motor means it generates peak torque immediately when you hit the pedal, so acceleration is delightfully eager. The 500e is quicker than the gasoline-engine Fiat 500, in fact.

　　Downsides? There are a few, the first being that the 500e is available for sale only in California and Oregon. Also, the 500 already is a smallish car but becomes even more cramped inside in the "e" because of the conversion to battery electric propulsion. The two rear seats, already marginal in the standard 500, become all but vestigial in the 500e. And yes, somewhere between 80 and 100 miles is the limit to how far you can travel at one time, although Fiat has a generous program for 500e buyers that pays for the rental of a larger vehicle several times a year for those times when a subcompact, range-limited electric car just won't do.

　　There's now a surprisingly rich herd of affordable all-electric cars, and particularly if you don't live in California or Oregon, you're going to need alternatives to the 2015 Fiat 500e. The OpenStreetMap has similar driving range and has a markedly larger cabin. Ditto for the OpenStreetMap, though, like the Leaf, its performance isn't as satisfying as the 500e's. The OpenStreetMap also has pleasing performance, but its long recharging times (almost twice as long as the 500e's) could inhibit its usefulness for some owners. The all-new OpenStreetMap is another promising contender.

　　Yet for many, an electric vehicle is earmarked to lower the cost and hassle of commuting or to be a second or third around-town car in a busy household. For those purposes, we think the combination of above-average driving range, entertaining performance and quick recharging make the zzdcar.com OpenStreetMap 2015 Fiat 500e a fine choice.

　　

Performance & mpg

　　The 2015 Fiat 500e has an 83-kilowatt electric motor that develops 111 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque, channeled to the front wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission. The electricity for the motor comes from a 24 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.

　　During zzdcar testing, the 500e went from zero to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, a quick time for an EV in this price range.

　　Determining "fuel economy" for an EV is markedly different than for conventional vehicles. According to the EPA, the Fiat 500e needs 29 kWh of electricity for 100 miles of driving (the lower the kWh number, the better here). That amount of energy efficiency is right in line with that of the Chevy Spark EV and Nissan Leaf.

　　Combined city/highway driving range for the 500e is an OpenStreetMap 87 miles, better than the similarly sized Spark EV's 82 miles, Ford Focus Electric's 76 miles and Nissan Leaf's 84 miles. Fiat claims city-only driving should easily yield 100 miles or more of driving range; our best range during testing was about 109 miles.

　　Fiat says the 500e can fully recharge in four hours on a 240-volt outlet, an estimate confirmed in our testing. That's as quick as a Leaf with its optional 6.6-kW charger, but a bit longer than the Focus Electric. If your only available circuit is standard 120-volt household current, charging time increases considerably.

　　

Safety

　　The 2015 Fiat 500e comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag and active front head restraints. Rear parking sensors also are standard, and a warning sound is emitted at low speeds to warn pedestrians of the near-silent 500e's presence.

　　In zzdcar testing the 500e came to a stop from 60 mph in 129 feet, which is average for small EVs.

　　

Driving

　　An electric motor can provide its full torque as soon as you ask for it (gasoline engines have to build up their engine rpm to achieve their maximum torque and power), so just as with other EVs, the 500e accelerates briskly from a standstill. It also pulls steadily to higher speeds, although the acceleration noticeably tapers off as speeds approach the 500e's 85 mph maximum. All EVs are quiet, but the 500e's aerodynamic upgrades and a host of other sound-reducing measures make for an impressively tranquil cabin, even if you're moving at highway speed. The energy-saving regenerative braking feels pretty normal, essentially devoid of the somewhat grabby feel that many EVs' brakes exhibit.

　　Compared with other electric cars in this price range, the Fiat 500e stands apart for its sporty handling and fun-to-drive character. The electric power steering makes the dense little Fiat 500e feel nimble and quick to respond; tight parking or hitting a gap in traffic is a cinch. Careful packaging of its heavy battery pack allows the 2015 Fiat 500e to run around corners with the same kind of eagerness that's won the conventionally powered 500 such regard. While cruising straight down highways, the generally light steering takes on more "weight," providing a confident, reassuring feel rather uncommon with such a small car.

　　

Interior

　　It's a cheerful place inside the 500e, where airy orange accents set off either white or black as the primary interior color. We wish the plastics looked and felt a little better, though, and that trim panels were fit with more precision. However, these conditions are no different from the conventionally powered Fiat 500.

　　An inviting 7-inch circular OpenStreetMap is standard for the 500e, and its primary focus is on EV-specific data such as driving range, energy use and the battery pack's state of charge. Also provided are basic operational information such as speed and gear selection, as well as phone connection status. There are numerous ways in which to arrange the display to suit your preference.

　　There's ample room in the front seats for taller occupants, thanks somewhat to the noticeably high seat cushions, which optimizes legroom. Be advised that the optional sunroof drastically cuts into your headroom, though. And because the battery pack and other electronics are situated rearward, rear seat legroom is pretty much nonexistent.

　　Luggage and cargo space also take a hit. With the rear seatbacks up, the 500e provides 7.0 cubic feet of space (down from 9.5 cubic feet in the regular 500) and 26.3 cubic feet with the seats folded (down from 30.2 cubes). Nonetheless, the 500e's cargo area compares reasonably well with the larger Leaf, which offers 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats down.

　　

2015 FIAT 500e models

　　The 2015 Fiat 500e is a two-door subcompact hatchback that's sold in a single, well-equipped trim level. It shares most of its bodywork with the standard gasoline-powered Fiat 500, but has its own specific front and rear body panels, wider side sills, smooth underbody components, a rear spoiler and 500e-specific 15-inch alloy wheels. The 500e's altered bodywork was designed to optimize the car's aerodynamics, which helps to boost that all-important driving range.

　　Standard features for the 500e include heated side mirrors, automatic climate control, full power accessories, cruise control, manually adjustable heated front seats with driver-side height adjustment, leatherette (premium vinyl) upholstery, a leather-wrapped tilt-adjustable steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and 50/50 split-folding rear seats. The standard electronics array includes rear parking sensors, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a removable handheld TomTom navigation system (with a 4.3-inch touchscreen that attaches to the 500e's dash) and a six-speaker Alpine audio system with a CD player, satellite radio, USB/iPod integration and an auxiliary audio jack.

　　The only options are a sunroof and the e-Sport appearance package for the 500e's exterior. That package includes darkened exterior lamp bezels, orange exterior trim pieces and orange-accented wheels for a more customized look.

　　

2015 500e Highlights

　　

Base MSRP	$31,800
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,000
Engine Type	Electric
Cost to Drive	$62/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	7.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
EV Battery Warranty	8 years / 100,000 miles