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Success number

What Volkswagen couldn’t do with the Beetle, Fiat did: successfully breathe new life into a classic cult car. Some numbers in a row: since 2007, more than 2.5 million copies of the 500 have been built and Fiat now sells the model in more than 100 countries. In the Netherlands, almost 80,000 units have already left the showroom. Now that the end of the combustion engine is in sight, it is once again time for the 500 to move with the times.

How much does a Fiat 500e cost?

The new 500 no longer has a simmering TwinAir or three-cylinder petrol engine , but a whisper-quiet electric motor. There are four different versions of the 500e, with different power ratings and battery packs. The Fiat 500e Action is the entry-level model and has a battery pack with a capacity of 23.8 kWh, a range of 190 kilometers and an electric motor of 95 hp. Fiat asks 24,900 euros for this version.

We test the absolute top model: the 500th La Prima. This version is equipped with the nicest things that Fiat has in house, such as a glass panoramic roof, LED lighting, 17-inch wire wheels and the large 42 kWh battery pack. For this version you pay 35,900 euros. So decent for the price. You can view all other versions and prices here .

happy car

The 500e is typically such a car that makes you happy. Its Italian design is distinctive and it is packed with nice details. Here are five reasons why we like the new 500e so much.

1. Extra door

The La Prima is the top version, which, as mentioned, is full of nice options. But you can dress it up even thicker by choosing the 3+1 option. For 2,000 euros extra, the Italians then mount an extra door that opens in the opposite direction. You will not get a three-door, but a four-door car. Only the passenger side gets an extra door. So on the curb side. This way you can easily place your child, groceries or other things in the back.

2. Design

The extra door is not only practical, it also looks very nice. The compact Italian is already a striking appearance, but as soon as you open the extra door to load the groceries at the local supermarket, everyone really looks at you. This can also be due to the special body color: Rosé Gold. The 500th literally sparkles when the sun is on it. Prefer a different color? Fiat supplies the 500e in various striking and intense colors, such as Ocean Green and Celestial Blue. 

3. Full of fun details

The electric 500 is full of fun – and often historic – details. You find them in the strangest places. Think of the brand name stitched into the seats. If you look in the door handle, you will see the 1957 500. Where you can wirelessly charge a phone, is the skyline of Turin, the home of Fiat. The exterior also bears a nod to the past: the side indicators are inspired by the Fiat 500 from ’57.  

4. Amarcord

New electric cars are now required to give a sound warning if they are driving slower than 20 km/h. The so-called Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) ensures that cyclists and pedestrians are not surprised by a very quiet electric car. Most manufacturers choose for their EVs a kind of buzzing sound of a futuristic Star Wars spaceship. The Italians are more creative and have come up with something nicer. The electric 500 plays at a speed of 20 km/h Amarcord by the Italian composer Nino Rota, known for the film music of The Godfather and films by Federico Fellini. It doesn’t get more Italian!

5. Nice and smooth and comfortable

Nice, all those cheerful details, but does the 500e also drive a bit well? We can be brief about that: yes, (la) fine. A regular 500 drives nice, but behaves like a real city car. The electric variant feels much more mature. It handles better on the road, steers better and even feels at home on the highway. It’s like driving a car from a higher segment.

The 118 hp electric motor also ensures that you are the first to leave at the traffic light for the first few meters. The range is also good. On paper you can get 320 kilometers with the large battery pack, in practice you get about 250 kilometers. Great for in the city, but also outside. During our test week we drive from Amsterdam to the German border and back without any range anxiety. Charging is possible from Passion equipment level with an 85 kW fast charging system. In 5 minutes, 50 kilometers will be added to the battery pack. That also makes us happy.