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Reexamining photos of Chrysler's ENVI program, it's hard not to think about what could've been. It's been about three and a half years since the first news of the alternative propulsion unit's closing. ENVI took with it the most conspicuous evidence that the then-fresh-out-of-Chapter-11 automaker had new products and ideas to help establish a foothold in the AP market. Dark times, those.
But now we've had our initial crack at Chrysler's first battery-electric
vehicle that's not a neighborhood electric vehicle (GEM) and will be
sold to the "general" public. The happy-go-lucky Fiat 500e will
henceforth be remembered as the root from which all other Chrysler EVs
sprung. Roughly two years after development began, the fully electrified
500 fulfills a number of firsts: Chrysler's first EV, of course; the
first 500 with a 7-inch thin-film transistor display serving as the
gauge cluster; the first 500 with push-button transmission controls; and
Chrysler's first stab at the California Air Resources Board's
zero-emissions vehicle requirements. The last point ties to the quote
marks around the word "general" above: The 500e will only be sold in
EV-friendly California for the time being, but it might be offered in
other markets in the future.
Driving the 500e isn't very different from
driving a run-of-the-mill 500. You open the door; plop into a high,
plush seat; twist the "ignition" key; and get ready to go. Next, you
press the D button on the center console to put the single-speed gear
reduction in Drive, very much like the process with a modern,
automatic-transmission Aston Martin. Then, completely unlike an Aston
Martin, you whir away from your starting point nearly silently, thanks
to the quiet electric motor and extensive NVH-suppression package. Fiat
claims the 500e is 20 percent quieter than 500s not named Abarth.
The electric motor's torque (147 lb-ft) is plenty for zipping around
town, which is what we did with the 500e. Perhaps in an attempt to prove
the point that EVs are great city cars, Fiat plotted us a city-oriented
driving route that originated in Culver City, California, and ran
through a bunch of L.A. roads. Since the drive took place in the
daytime, that meant traffic. Naturally, the first five miles took about
45 minutes to cover. The range display showed 103 miles at the start,
but dropped to 93 miles when the standard automatic climate control was
turned on. Five miles later, the range was hovering in the region of 70
miles. No worries, though, because the energy percentage gauge was still
registering around 90 percent. The range number is constantly being
adjusted by a complex algorithm that looks at short- and long-term
energy consumption trends.
We'll spare you the gory details, but after attempting to drive as
aggressively as we possibly could over a 50-mile loop that included
hilly canyon roads and a little bit of freeway, the 500e's onboard
numbers stated we had 46 percent of the battery left and 48 miles of
range left -- not bad at all. In its grimmest-looking moment, the car
showed 30 miles to go, but credit the regenerative braking system and a
few long descents for helping reappropriate energy. There's no Low mode
or separate regen setting to use, so the electric motor must make do
with the car's greater weight. At an estimated 3000 pounds, the 500e is
about 500 pounds heavier than a regular 500. The liquid-cooled,
lithium-ion battery makes up about 600 of those pounds.
The battery uses about 22.8 kW-hrs of the
24-kW-hr stated capacity for tractive purposes. It'll take less than
fours to charge from "empty" to full on a Level 2 charger (208-240
volts) and around 23 hours on Level 1 power (110-120V). To break it down
by miles added, a trickle charger will add 10 miles every three hours,
whereas the hardwired L2 unit will insert the same distance every 30
minutes. The battery packaging infringes mostly on backseat legroom. The
500e loses 4.1 inches from a 500. Other specs related to passenger
space are comparable between the gas and electric 500s.
Fiat says they were surprised by the EPA's final economy edict -- the
500e carries an official 87-mile rating. But given the small BEV
underwent extensive wind tunnel evaluation, we feel it's fitting.
Modifications including a sealed front end, smoothed underbody,
aerodynamically pleasing 15-inch alloy wheels, redesigned side-mirror
caps, and a drag coefficient of 0.311. That's 6.3 percent lower than a
500 Pop, the most aero-efficient gas model.
Because the 500e weighs more than the
conventional 500 and rolls around on normal-sized 185/55-15 tires, the
suspension was stiffened to accommodate the load. Body-motion control
and ride quality is acceptable for daily driving, but the car could use
more shock damping. Despite the battery's low placement along the floor,
the car wallows at freeway speeds, especially when bumps are involved.
There's quite a bit of gyrating hip action from the rear haunches. In
the canyons, it's probably more enjoyable than it needs to be -- we
credit the claimed, more balanced 57/43 percent front/rear weight
distribution for this trait. The steering even leans toward the heavy
side. And because of the e-motor torque and responsiveness, the car
feels quicker than it really is.
If ENVI were still around, the 500e would sit
next to the Lotus Europa-based Dodge Circuit concept in the family
portrait, bookending a lineup that has (had) a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
at the opposing end. The small Italian may be on its own now, but at
least its future is wide open.
Reexamining photos of Chrysler's ENVI program, it's hard not to think about what could've been. It's been about three and a half years since the first news of the alternative propulsion unit's closing. ENVI took with it the most conspicuous evidence that the then-fresh-out-of-Chapter-11 automaker had new products and ideas to help establish a foothold in the AP market. Dark times, those.
But now we've had our initial crack at Chrysler's first battery-electric
vehicle that's not a neighborhood electric vehicle (GEM) and will be
sold to the "general" public. The happy-go-lucky Fiat 500e will
henceforth be remembered as the root from which all other Chrysler EVs
sprung. Roughly two years after development began, the fully electrified
500 fulfills a number of firsts: Chrysler's first EV, of course; the
first 500 with a 7-inch thin-film transistor display serving as the
gauge cluster; the first 500 with push-button transmission controls; and
Chrysler's first stab at the California Air Resources Board's
zero-emissions vehicle requirements. The last point ties to the quote
marks around the word "general" above: The 500e will only be sold in
EV-friendly California for the time being, but it might be offered in
other markets in the future.
The electric motor's torque (147 lb-ft) is plenty for zipping around
town, which is what we did with the 500e. Perhaps in an attempt to prove
the point that EVs are great city cars, Fiat plotted us a city-oriented
driving route that originated in Culver City, California, and ran
through a bunch of L.A. roads. Since the drive took place in the
daytime, that meant traffic. Naturally, the first five miles took about
45 minutes to cover. The range display showed 103 miles at the start,
but dropped to 93 miles when the standard automatic climate control was
turned on. Five miles later, the range was hovering in the region of 70
miles. No worries, though, because the energy percentage gauge was still
registering around 90 percent. The range number is constantly being
adjusted by a complex algorithm that looks at short- and long-term
energy consumption trends.
We'll spare you the gory details, but after attempting to drive as
aggressively as we possibly could over a 50-mile loop that included
hilly canyon roads and a little bit of freeway, the 500e's onboard
numbers stated we had 46 percent of the battery left and 48 miles of
range left -- not bad at all. In its grimmest-looking moment, the car
showed 30 miles to go, but credit the regenerative braking system and a
few long descents for helping reappropriate energy. There's no Low mode
or separate regen setting to use, so the electric motor must make do
with the car's greater weight. At an estimated 3000 pounds, the 500e is
about 500 pounds heavier than a regular 500. The liquid-cooled,
lithium-ion battery makes up about 600 of those pounds.
Fiat says they were surprised by the EPA's final economy edict -- the
500e carries an official 87-mile rating. But given the small BEV
underwent extensive wind tunnel evaluation, we feel it's fitting.
Modifications including a sealed front end, smoothed underbody,
aerodynamically pleasing 15-inch alloy wheels, redesigned side-mirror
caps, and a drag coefficient of 0.311. That's 6.3 percent lower than a
500 Pop, the most aero-efficient gas model.
| 2013 Fiat 500e | |
| BASE PRICE | $32,500* |
| VEHICLE LAYOUT | Front-motor, FWD, 4-pass, 2-door hatchback |
| MOTOR | 111-hp/147-lb-ft permanent-magnet AC electric |
| TRANSMISSION | 1-speed automatic |
| CURB WEIGHT | 3000 lb (mfr) |
| WHEELBASE | 90.6 in |
| LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT | 142.4 x 64.1 x 60.1 in |
| 0-60 MPH | 9.1 sec (mfr est) |
| EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON | 122/108 mpg-e (gas-equivalent) |
| ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY | 28/31 kW-hrs/100 miles |
| CO2 EMISSIONS | 0.00 lb/mile (at tailpipe) |
| RANGE | 87 miles |
| ON SALE IN U.S. | Summer 2013 (California only) |
| *Before federal, state, and local tax incentives | |
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