2013 Fiat 500e 83 kW (118 BHP)

Vehicle Overview

Fiat made the 2013 500e specifically for the U.S. market and even said that it had no intentions to sell that vehicle in Europe, leaving its fans at home, in Italy, with tears in their eyes.

The 500 was so successful that the Italian automaker couldn’t replace it with anything else. Moreover, it expanded the range using the same nameplate and various letters behind it. While the L or X meant larger-sized vehicles, with a crossover stance or an MPV, respectively, the e stood for electric.

Fiat made it on the same platform as the rest of the range to get some incentives from the U.S. government, and the recipe worked. Moreover, the final product was good enough, especially for those who needed a nice-looking tiny vehicle able to park anywhere but large enough to accommodate up to four people inside its cabin.

Fiat used the same bodywork as the regular 500 series with internal combustion engines. But still, there were some slight differences that made the electric version stand apart from its gasoline-powered siblings. At the front, the automaker installed headlights with tiny little bezels surrounding the projector beam headlamp.

Below the bumper, the 500e sported a different apron than its siblings. It featured a trapezoidal grille with an upper gap and round holes. The fog lamps were also included in this new part. Depending on the trim level, the car featured contrasting colors for the door mirror caps and the rear roof spoiler placed atop the tailgate.

Inside, the automaker installed two bucket seats at the front and a bench for two in the back, but without too much legroom for those seated there. Still, it was enough for children. The main differences compared with the ICE-powered 500 were at the front. Fiat filled the instrument cluster with a color display that showed various information about the car’s status gathered from the onboard computer.

Besides speed, it revealed energy consumption, range, and battery status. On the center stack, instead of the gear stick, the 500e featured a round panel with four buttons on it for driving programs. Despite the car’s small size, there were even two cup holders and a phone holder between the seats on the floor. As a final detail, the automaker proudly placed the 500e badge on the dash panel in front of the side passenger.

Since Fiat transformed the 500 into an electric vehicle, it used the area under the hood to place the 111 hp (113 PS) electric motor that powered the front wheels. But the most impressive part of this electric drivetrain was the instant 148 lb-ft (201 Nm) of torque that moved the less-than-3,000 lbs. vehicle.

Fiat installed a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the rear bench seat. As a result, the range was not great, and its 0 to 60 mph (0-97 kph) time of 8.2 seconds was not impressive. Still, it was enough for the urban environment, school runs, and some light shopping.