The Fiat 500e Electric (Hatchback): The Complete Electric Car Buying Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Fiat 500e Electric Hatchback

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Fiat Automobile S.p.A. is a subsidiary the Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe PSA (French). You may not be familiar with these names, but the automotive brands in the portfolio would be well known to most consumers. These include: Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Jeep, Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo etc.

Fiat continues to remain the largest automotive manufacturer in Italy, but also has manufacturing locations globally, with Brazil as the largest international production site. Fiat Automobiles has been recognised in Europe for the lower emission footprint of its vehicles and has been ranked as the lowest level of CO2 emissions by vehicles sold in Europe. The all-electric Fiat 500 has led the transition for the Italian manufacturer to zero-emission electric driving. The company currently has the following portfolio of electric vehicles (EVs):

• All-electric Fiat 500e Hatchback (BEV)
• All-electric Fiat 500e Cabrio (BEV)
• All-electric Fiat 600e (BEV)

The Fiat 500 electric car has its roots in the classic 1957 Fiat 500, a car that has been hugely successful and iconic (sold more than 2 million cars globally). The Fiat New 500 EV is bigger than the internal combustion engine (ICE) car: 6 cm in width and length, 22mm longer wheelbase. The EV is available as a hatchback and a convertible.

The pure electric car is well suited for those individuals and families living in towns and cities seeking an environmentally-friendly solution for daily commutes. Like the pure electric Honda e, the Fiat 500 EV is primarily positioned for urban driving, with the flexibility of ample electric range for longer motorway commutes.

The Fiat electric car is available in two EV battery sizes: 24 kWh and 42 kWh. The 24 kWh battery has a zero-emission electric range up to 190 km, while the larger 42 kWh offers a range up to 320 km (WLTP). Of course these will need to be adjusted for real-world driving conditions, but expect the 24 kWh to be able to deliver 160 km and the 42 kWh to deliver 270 km.

Either way, both variants have much to offer depending on the needs of the family. For those that drive mostly shorter distances for day-to-day commutes, the 24 kWh battery option is more suitable. Do keep in mind that the majority of individuals drive no more than 50 km a day. This should not come as a surprise, given the short distances to cover for the local grocery store, school-run, work, high street etc.

For those that expect to drive longer distances on a regular basis, the 42 kWh option will prove more useful. Both variants benefit from DC charging capability. The 24 kWh variant can be charged up to 50 kW DC (0%-80%: 30 mins), while the 42 kWh can be charged up to 85 kW DC (0%-80%: 35 mins).

Both variants incorporate a 11 kW AC (3-phase) onboard charger. For those with access to three-phase charging at home or the workplace, the 24 kW battery can be full charged in 2 hours and 30 minutes, while the 42 kWh EV battery can be fully charged in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Do keep in mind that most homes in India are powered by a single-phase power supply (7.4 kW), resulting in longer charging times.

Though the Fiat pure electric car can be charged via a domestic 3-PIN socket, we at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic socket to charge an electric car. It would take up to 8 hours and 45 minutes to charge the 24 kWh EV battery and up to 15 hours and 15 minutes to charge the 42 kWh battery. We encourage charging an electric car using a dedicated EV home charging station like easee.

The Fiat electric car does not disappoint in terms of its exterior iconic appeal and its interior is just as appealing. The electric hatchback includes a host of features: intelligent adaptive cruise control, urban blind spot, drone view (360° parking sensors), rear view parking camera, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition and speed advisor, attention assist, lane keep assist, emergency call and more. The EV also offers a 10.25″ infotainment display and compatibility with Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

In terms of practicality, for urban driving, its compact size and turning circle are certainly useful. However, the rear seats are a tight squeeze and the boot space limited to 185 L.

Despite the additional weight of the EV battery(294.3 kg), the front-wheel drive Fiat 500 e can achieve 0-100 km/h in 9 seconds for the 42 kWh variant. The maximum power is up to 118 hp (220 Nm) and a 150 km/h top speed. The 24 kWh variant is just a little slower: 0-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Fiat 500e electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
DC charging up to 85 kW	Rear seats with limited headroom and legroom
Available in two EV battery sizes	Not practical for a larger family
11 kW onboard charger as standard	Small boot space (185 L)

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The All-Electric Fiat 500 Hatchback (credit: Fiat)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body Type:	Hatchback
Engine Options:	Electric
Available In India:	No

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Trims (1 Option)
Fiat 500e (Rs N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in two sizes: 24 kWh/ 42 kWh
Charging:	Up to 85 kW DC Fast Charging. Onboard charger 11 kW AC
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1527
Width (mm):	1900
Length (mm):	3632
Wheelbase (mm):	2322
Turning Circle (m):	9.3
Boot Space (L):	185

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Model: 70 kW 93hp
EV Battery Capacity:	24 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	190 km
Electric Consumption (kWh/100km):	13.0
Charging:	50 kW DC Fast Charging (0%-80%: 30 mins). 11 kW AC onboard charger (0%-100%: 2 hrs 30 mins)
Top Speed:	135 km/h
0-100 km/h:	9.5 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	70
Max Power (hp):	93
Torque (Nm):	220
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	4
Doors:	3
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,365
Colours:	8
NCAP Safety Rating:	Four-Star

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Model: 87 KW 118HP
EV Battery Capacity:	42 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	320 km
Electric Consumption (kWh/100km):	13.6
Charging:	85 kW DC Fast Charging (0%-80%: 35 mins). 11 kW AC onboard charger (0%-100%: 4 hrs 15 mins)
Top Speed:	150 km/h
0-100 km/h:	9 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	87
Max Power (hp):	118
Torque (Nm):	220
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	4
Doors:	3
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,365
Colours:	8
NCAP Safety Rating:	Four-Star

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Buying EV Cables: Top 3 Tips

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When it comes to electric car charging cables, an astute electric car owner will focus on quality and performance over cheapest price. We encourage all EV owners to adopt a similar approach!

EV Cables: Top 3 Tips
Never buy cheap:	Not all EV charging cables are the same. It is simply false economy to try and save a few Rupees on buying a cheaper cable, when in all probability the EV you own is worth over Rs 50 Lakhs! Nor are we suggesting you buy the most expensive. There is always a balance between price and quality, and electric car charging cables are no different. The last thing you need is to have the EV charging cable stop working when you most need it. EV cables on the e-zoomed Electric Living Shop are made from TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), a higher quality material that is extremely flexible, durable and smooth to touch.
The shortest length is never the best choice:	A number of customers seek the shortest length (2m EV charging cable) because it is the cheapest. However a 2m EV cable is limited in practicality and usually not a good long-term investment. Most charging destinations (home or public) require an EV charging cable that is longer than 2m. In our experience, most customers buy EV charging cables between 5m and 25m. We recommend at least a 5m charging cable. It is long enough to meet most charging needs, but compact enough to be carried and put away easily! Of course, a number of customers need even longer EV cables.
A lower technical specification EV charging cable Is never the best choice:	As above, a number of electric car owners seek to buy a 16 amp (single-phase) EV charging cable, instead of a 32 amp (single-phase) EV charging cable. The reason is simple. The 16 amp is marginally cheaper! However, a 16 amp charging cable charges at 3.6 kW, a much slower rate to a 32 amp EV charging cable that charges at 7.2 kW. An ampere is the unit for measuring electricity. The accepted standard unit used for measuring how fast an electric current flows is an example of an ampere. The reason why customers in India buy a single-phase EV cable, is because most homes in India are powered by single-phase power supply. Also important to asses is the IP Rating for the EV cable. Not all EV cables have the same IP Rating. Of course, warranty is also important. Most EV cables are sold with a warranty of at least 2 years!

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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