Fiat 500 24kwh
A smaller battery brings down the cost of one of our favourite small electric cars On sale Now Price from £23,495
A smaller battery and entry-level trim make one of our favourite small electric cars even more affordable
IF LESS IS more, this new entry-level Fiat 500 should be a winner. With a 24kwh battery, it’s usefully cheaper than its 42kwh stablemates, for one thing. And while that smaller battery brings the official range down to 115 miles from 199, if you seldom leave the city, that shouldn’t be an issue.
The 24kwh car is still a zippy thing, too. The smaller, lighter battery means that – despite a deficit of 23bhp (94bhp in total) to the 42kwh model – it nips from 0-62mph in 9.5sec, against the latter’s 9.0sec. That’s pretty good for a city car, making light work of merging into traffic thanks to a strong, instant shove of acceleration.
Around town, the 500’s accurate steering and tight turning circle make weaving through traffic a breeze, and there’s very little noise, including from the electric motor. Push harder in corners, though, and there’s some body lean and the skinny eco tyres tend to squeal in protest while scrabbling for traction. The ride can be choppy at higher speeds, too.
You can get the small battery only in conjunction with entry-level Action trim. Although there’s a fair bit of hard plastic on display, the interior doesn’t feel cheap, and a standard digital instrument cluster – which provides plenty of battery and range information – is a classy touch. This version does without an infotainment touchscreen and DAB radio (a smartphone cradle is standard), so you’ll need to add the Radio Pack (£850), which includes a 7.0in touchscreen with full smartphone connectivity.
Up front, a high seating position gives a good forward view, yet there’s still enough head room for six-footers, and you get plenty of leg and shoulder room. Two passengers can be squeezed into the rear seats for short trips, but taller folk will be hunched over due to the sloping roof. Boot capacity is limited, and the rear seatback folds down only as a whole; it isn’t split.
Despite this version’s low price, you still get plenty of standard safety technology. Ultimately, the Icon version with its bigger battery is more useful and better to drive, but if all you need is a cheap electric car for the city, the 24kwh 500 makes a decent case for itself.
SAYS Not as versatile as its 42kwh siblings, but still a fine city runabout if it must be electric