AND I WOULD DRIVE MILES
Italian love story continues as Fiat’s new all-electric hatchback is destined to become another style Icon
Maggie Barry
The eyes have it… Fiat’s new all- electric 500e is a complete flir t with headlights that make your heart melt.
Daytime running lights hover over the headlights like finely tweaked eyebrows and, indeed, the whole car is stylish, head- turning and completely new, while still retaining that Ital ian charisma that has made the 500 one of the world’s most sought-after cars.
This latest masterpiece is slightly longer and wider than the 2007 model and, strikingly, the Fiat badge on the grille has been replaced with a 500 badge so that you will know immediately that this is the electric version.
The Icon hatchback model I am driving has been blessed with 17in diamond- cut alloys and chrome side mouldings. Inside, it has sustainable fabric seats made from Seaqual yarn harvested from the ocean and there is what Fiat calls technowood on the dash.
Surprisingly, there are no interior handles. Instead, a chrome button releases the door in the same way as a handle – but it is one of the quirky little features that make this car so adorable.
It also comes with a couple of “Easter eggs” – small hidden features – like the outline of the original Fiat 500 on the door and the Turin skyline on the wireless charging pad. (There are also two other USB points).
With the brief to create a new electric model, designers decided to look to the 1957 original for inspiration and at the same time – underlying its Latin credentials – production of the new alternatively fuelled model was moved back to Turin.
The new electric 500 comes as a hatchback and a cabriolet – the only all- electric cabriolet on the road, say Fiat. There are new colours too – beauti ful Celestial Blue and gorgeous Rose Gold.
For city driving, you can opt for a smaller powertrain, which will give you a range of 115 miles and take less time to charge or, for regular longer distances, a larger 42kWh battery, which offers an astonishing 199-mile range. How practical, how Italian. The 500e also recharges as you drive, using Normal, Range or Sherpa modes, each one sharply increasing the braking and deceleration to give you a bigger charging boost – and it really works.
I watched in amazement as I switched between the modes and saw the miles left to drive substantially increase, although beware in Sherpa mode. This is almost like a “limp” mode for when you think you don’t have enough power left to get home. Electric- powered systems such as the aircon is turned off and the car is limited to a top speed of 50mph.
In Normal mode, however, it is smart and feisty as it powers you around the country – brilliant on corners and fabulous for parking.
It comes with bags of safety features – lane centring, intelligent speed assist, automatic emergency braking, blind spot assist and many more.
The Icon has a 10.25in touchscreen with sat nav but all models can connect to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on a docking station for al l smartphone features.
The Fiat 500 is always an eyecatcher but in this new look for the future it is even better. It is just so desirable both above and below the bonnet. Bellissima.