Road Test: 2019 Fiat 500e

Arrivederci Cinqucento

Fiat has announced the 2019 500e is the final year this car will be imported to America. No reason was given for this decision, but there are some indicators why they have dropped it from their lineup.

When introduced in 2013, the battery electric 500e had a comparable driving range to other electric vehicles on the market. But in the past six years, as those competitors have significantly increased their electric driving range, the 500e has stayed the same. Available only in California and Oregon, the sales are also challenged by the 84-mile driving range that has not appealed to drivers. But is this fair to the 500e?

Even with the limitations versus its competitors–not having the most driving range, fastest charging or largest interior–the 2019 Fiat 500e shines as a city car. It is zippy and fun to drive and does this carrying two adults comfortably up front. The rear seats are best for children or, how I used them, folded flat where it was possible to carry a reasonable amount of stuff as you tool around town running errands.

Smooth, Quiet and Zippy

Turning the key awakens the dash gauges to a series of flashing lights, telling you the car is ready to drive. This array of electronics is no little thing and is not just for show. Because, without any engine noise or vibration, the dash readouts are your only indication the motor was good-to-go. And go you will, probably more aggressively than you would in a gasoline-powered car. There is just something about driving an electric car that begs, no, more like teases you to blast off the line.

The 83-kilowatt electric motor puts out 111 horsepower and 147 pounds-feet of torque. The beauty of that torque is it being available at any speed, any time. With the single-speed transmission, there are no gear shifts to interrupt the power reaching the front wheels. The acceleration is smooth, quiet and zippy–and quite addictive. The 500e lures you into its seamless power and puts you into a place where needing that acceleration rush can’t be quenched by merely tooling around town driving sensibly slow.

The 500e was fun, and maybe even could be considered a form of automotive entertainment. Around town, as a city car, it is completely in its element. The electric power steering made handling in-and-out of parking spaces, and navigating the tightest of alleys, a breeze.

Out on the open road, even with the short 90.6-inch wheelbase, the 500e felt confident at freeway speeds. The 500e is well-balanced with responsive steering and a tight sporty feel. We tested the 15-inch, 185/55R Firestone Firehawk GT tires on a few mountain curves and found there to be little body roll. The final verdict on handling is the 500e is eager to see corners ahead and is fun to drive.

Charging

There are two ways to charge the 24-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack on the 500e: Plugging in and regenerative braking.

Charging the lithium-ion battery is through the 6.6-kW onboard charger, and a single plug-in port, with two charging speeds.

• 110V (Level 1) – 24 hours – Discharged to a full charge

• 220V (Level 2) – 4 hours – Discharged to a full charge

Level 2 chargers can be found throughout most major cities, and can be purchased for home installation. Many electric car owners make this investment to take advantage of the faster charging speed. However, if you plug-in the 500e every night using 110V, expect to get about four miles of range per hour. Since the 500e has an 84-mile driving range, you will get half a full charge in 10 hours. Also, don’t be surprised if your dash read-out says far more than 84 miles of range on a full charge. I regularly got 95 miles, and have heard some 500e owners getting a 110-mile charge.

The regenerative charging system converts kinetic energy into electric energy, when applying the brakes or coasting, and stores it in the battery. This process can viewed on a dash gauge where you can watch the power flow into and out of the battery and motor.

One thing the 500e does not have, that is found on many other electric cars, is a way to adjust the braking force to gain more regenerative charging.

Retro Design

The Fiat 500 line-up is all about being cool, having unmistakable Italian design and fun. Based on the iconic Cinquecento (first launched in 1957 and sold in various forms in the United States through 1983) the new 500 was introduced in 2012, followed by the all-electric 500e in 2013.

For 2019, the 500e is available in two trim levels, the base 500e and the eSport, which adds exterior color accents and different wheels. The 500e has a fun face with large, round Halogen projector headlights and a mustache trim piece above the mouth-like grill openings. The 500e has an upright design with sides that slope inward towards the roof. A raked front windshield leads over to the roof where the rear hatch is finished with a spoiler. Chrome pieces are at a minimum and used properly as accents. Clean Fleet Report had a 500e with the optional power sunroof, that slides back and up when open.

You can quickly differentiate the 500e from it’s gasoline-powered siblings by the holes in the front and rear lower fascias. The very subtle 500e badging cleanly lets the world know you are not burning any fossil fuel. Clean Fleet Report’s 500e was painted in Luminous Orange with the fascias in white. This very bold eye-catching paint scheme made a fashion statement.All-in-all, it’s a completely unique design and pure Italian all the way.

 Cozy Interior

The 2019 Fiat 500e interior has large gauges with some control placements that are truly unique. The cabin is compact, but for the driver and passenger, it really isn’t too snug. The heated seats, with manual adjustments, are a bit too upright, but headroom is ample, even for six-footers. There is a tight fit between the doors and seat edges, meaning you should not even attempt to find anything you dropped until getting out of the car.

Be forewarned the rear seat is not meant for grown humans as it must have been designed for hauling around people no larger than about four-feet tall. The best bet with the 500e is to lay the 50/50 split rear seats flat and enjoy zipping around with enough storage space for in-town errands. 

The 500e dash is clean, basic and everything is well within reach of the driver. Redesigned in 2016, the dash has an unique European look with a push button gear selector and a five-inch color display. Our 500e had the six-speaker Fiat Premium Audio System with UConnect and GPS navigation. The AM/FM/CD/MP3 and SiriusXM can be managed by the leather-wrapped steering wheel mounted controls. To complete the entertainment array are USB, AUX and audio input jacks.

Convenience features include power windows with one-touch down, power door locks, power foldaway exterior mirrors, HVAC with automatic climate control, floor mats, keyless entry, 12V and USB power outlets, multiple cup holders, rear window wiper/washer, security alarm, and a tire service kit in lieu of a spare tire.

Safety and Convenience Features

Standard safety features include seven airbags, backup camera, electronic stability control, traction control, rear park assist, remote keyless entry, engine immobilizer, tire pressure monitoring system, brake assist, hill start assist and cruise control.

Pricing and Warranties

The 2019 Fiat 500e has a base price of $33,210. With the options, Clean Fleet Report’s 500e had a MSRP of $34,400. All prices do not include the $1,495 destination charge. A note about pricing: With Fiat having announced that 2019 is the final year for the 500e, there may be some motivated dealers wanting to move their inventory.

All 2019 Fiat 500e models come with these warranties.

Basic – Four Years/50,000 miles

Electric Powertrain – Four Years/100,000 miles

Lithium-ion Battery – Eight years/100,000 miles    

Observations: 2019 Fiat 500e

As the electric car market grows, it is inevitable slow-selling models will be dropped by manufacturers. In the case of the Fiat 500e, there are mixed feelings about the 2019 model year being its last in America. We have found the 500e to be fun to drive and its size to be an asset. As a true City Car, the 500e is easy to park, efficiently uses its stored electricity and is right-sized for one or two people to handle all their in-town and short trip needs. But the 500e needs updating in its interior design and the 84-mile driving range.

So, what is next for Fiat? Next year Fiat will be producing batteries at a new factory in Mirafiori, Italy. These batteries will be destined for 12 electrified vehicles Fiat will begin rolling-out in 2020. Among these is an all-new 500e, Maserati hybrid and electric models, and plug-in and electric versions of Jeep models. The Fiat Concept Centoventi is an interesting looking electric vehicle.

The final take for the 2019 Fiat 500e is that it is fun to drive, easy to park and handles great with a design unique to anything else you will see on the road. If you do not need a car that can haul around four adults, then the 500e could be an ideal second car. Plus, if you spend the majority of your time negotiating the craziness of city and short haul highway driving, the 500e might be right for you.

Whatever you end up buying, Happy Driving!

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Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.