It is true the Fiat 500 has been an Italian icon around the world since its debut 63 years ago. With the second generation launching in 2007, this model was accepted as a cool, charming city car and loved by many across the globe. Now in 2020 a new era Fiat is coming, a fully electric 500 model which retains all the style and is still very easily recognised as a Fiat 500. If you loved the look and style of the 500 but you want to also be involved in saving the planet this is the car for you. Revealed in Milan today the new 500 is Fiat’s first fully electric car powered by lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 42kWh providing the New 500 with a range of up to 320 km in one charge cycle. To optimise charging time the New 500 is equipped with an 85 kW fast charger system to charge the battery very quickly. For example, it takes only 5 minutes to build up sufficient energy reserve to travel 50 kilometres, which is more than what is needed for average daily use. The fast charge can also charge the battery to 80% in just 35 minutes. The combo 2 socket is located on the rear right-side panel of the car and powers the fast charger for both AC and DC charging. The launch edition on the New 500 includes an Easy WallboxT, a home charging system that can be connected to a normal home outlet. This system can provide a full charge at home in just over 6 hours. A Mode 3 cable is also provided for charging from a public charging station. The New 500 has three driving modes: Normal, Range, and Sherpa which can be selected to match your driving style. In particular, the Sherpa mode optimise the available resources to ensure that you will reach your destination. This mode works on several components to reduce fuel consumption to a minimum precisely to ensure that you can reach either the set destination on the navigation system or the nearest charging station comfortably. Just like a “Himalayan Sherpa” who is in charge of the whole expedition and guides it to the destination, this driving mode adjusts various parameters: maximum speed limited to 80 km/h, accelerator response, in order to reduce energy consumption. It also deactivates the climate control and heated seats if necessary.
The engine has an output of 87 kW, providing a maximum speed of 150 km/h (self-limited) and acceleration from 0 – 100 km/h in 9.0 seconds and 0 – 50 km/h in 3.1 seconds. The New 500 is not just a fully electric car, it also is the first car in its segment to offer level 2 autonomous driving, bringing all the associated benefits to urban mobility. Front-facing camera monitoring technology monitors all areas of the car, both longitudinally and laterally. The intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC) system brakes or accelerates in response to anything: cars, cyclists, pedestrians. Lane Cantering keeps the vehicle in the centre of the lane when the markings are correctly identified. Intelligent Speed Assist reads the speed limits and recommends applying them, while Urban Blind spots uses ultrasonic sensors to monitor the blind spots and warn of any obstacles with a triangular warning light on the wing mirror. Then there is Attention Assist, which provides warnings on the display recommending that you should stop and take a break when you are tired. Finally, the 360 degree sensors provide a drone view to avoid any obstacles when parking or performing complex manoeuvres. The New 500 also offers seamless integration with your smart phone offering a 10.25” high definition touchscreen, with horizontal form factor that fits perfectly into the car’s dashboard.
UConnect 5 offers customers….
- Emergency call function
- My Assistant – connects customers with an assistant to request help in a breakdown.
- My Remote – customers can check battery charging levels, find the exact location of the car, lock and unlock doors, turn lights on and off and activate the air conditioning all from a smart phone.
- My Car – check the condition of car from tire pressure to service schedule.
- My Navigation – via the mobile app you can send your destination to the car navigation system, identify the route and check the traffic and weather conditions and possible speed cameras along the way.
- My Wifi – a true hotspot that connects up to eight electronic devices to the internet at the same time. This system also lets you interact with your car with voice assistance technology from Amazon Alexa, the industry leader.
- My Theft Assistance – Customers are immediately notified in the event of their car being stolen.
So the New 500 was born perfectly connected; it dialogs with you both inside and outside the car, allowing you to set the navigation route in advance, and to find it air-conditioned on arrival. Once the car door is opened, your mobile phone will be connected in just 5 seconds. You will no longer need to use the charging cable either. Although the exterior design is in line with the old 500, the style is quieter, cleaner and crisper than before. The circular headlights are updated with a more modular elliptical designed headlight with an eyelash on the bonnet. The door handles are completely flush with a compartment for the electric unlocking. The 500 is 6 cm wider, 6 cm longer, and the wheelbase has been extended by 2 cm and the wheels are larger and further apart. Inside the New 500 is completely new and elegant with clear references to elements of the first generation. More space between the shoulders and for the legs, while the flat bottom can house the lithium batteries without compromising the luggage compartment capacity which remains unchanged. From today, March 4 th 2020 the new Fiat 500 can be ordered via an on-line pre-booking system on www.fiat.com website by following a simple procedure. The New 500 is clearly a stylish car paying attention to every detail. Furthermore, it is electric and therefore sustainable, and even the choice of colours was inspired by nature and its basic elements. The La Prima version is available in three colours;
- Mineral Grey (metallic) reminiscent of the earth.
- Ocean Green (pearlescent) which represents the sea.
- Celestial Blue (three-layer) as a homage to the sky.
The launch version also features.. - LED headlights
- Eco-leather upholstery
- 17” diamond-cut wheels
- Chrome-plated inserts on windows.
Lastly, this new unique electric icon has been endorsed by Leonardo Di Caprio the U.S. actor and activist who has embraced the philosophy of the new 500 and wanted to offer his endorsement for Fiats mission.
