Fiat 500 Shows Feasibility for Small Electric Cars; Next job, cut the price

Fiat 500 electric (AP Photo / Antonio Calanni)

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The electric car revolution in Europe got off to a strong start with many impressive technical achievements, but to become sustainable the industry must start producing vehicles for the average wage earner.

In other words, the market demands a cheap and practical little runabout that can be sold based on its arguments without government subsidies, just like a mobile phone.

To do this, and in the absence of a breakthrough in battery price and performance, manufacturers must curb their attempts to duplicate the performance and all-round utility of internal combustion engine vehicles and SUVs (ICE). This has spawned a number of impressive but high-priced machines. Manufacturers now need to focus on what electric cars can do best. The technology is best suited for urban, land, and urban transportation. At speeds above 55 mph, the electric car begins to struggle, and attempts to overcome this with larger, more powerful batteries are primarily starting to eat up the underlying reason for an electric car – the carbon savings.

“Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are not emission-free (CO2),” said Professor Gautam Kalghatgi, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, in a report for the Global Warming Policy Foundation entitled “Scoping Net Zero”.

“Battery manufacturing is both energy-intensive and greenhouse gas-intensive. On a life cycle basis, including vehicle manufacture, use and disposal, BEVs with large batteries could have poorer emissions than comparable conventional vehicles, although smaller BEVs will have lower but not zero emissions than comparable conventional cars in areas with low carbon power supplies. “Said Kalghatgi.

So the little Fiat 500 e (for electric) seems like a big step in the right direction. It’s tiny and light, and its battery performance is tuned for maximum city performance. It has an excellent regenerative braking system and is well suited for so-called “one-pedal” driving. The forward thrust of the car can be converted into electricity if the electric motor becomes a generator when the accelerator is lifted. This works well on busy city driving because every time you slow down the system puts more juice in the battery and the vehicle can often be brought to a stop without braking. Another advantage is the reduction in tire wear. On my urban test track of 22 miles, the available range was only reduced by 18 miles.

The problem is that part of the definition of a city car is affordability. And that particular convertible version of the 500e with a 42kWh battery and 199 miles of claimed range fails so miserably, tipping the scales at £ 33,882 ($ 46,500 after tax), despite having extras valued at over £ 3,000 ( $ 4,000), and does not take into account the UK government handout which at the time of writing was £ 2,500 ($ 3,400). There is a cheaper version, the Fiat 500 Action, with a smaller 24 kWh battery, 115 miles claimed range, and costs “from” £ 20,495 ($ 28,000 after tax), before the subsidy. That’s still about twice what an entry-level EV should cost, in my opinion, but it’s certainly a step forward.

Fiat 500 electric convertible (AP Photo / Antonio Calanni)

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The stated official range of the 42 kWh battery version was 199 miles, but my home charger only managed a constant 161 miles, a not atypical gap of almost 20%. On the freeway and cruising at legal speeds, range was lost at an alarming 52.5% of claimed availability, but that’s not really a negative as city cars have no place in the fast lane. During runs in the country with many theoretical possibilities to activate a free bonus for regenerative braking, the range availability disappeared with rates between 62.9% and 79.1%. Other electric vehicles have often produced a net plus under these rolling hill conditions.

My spec for a people electric car would be the price – £ 10,000 / € 11,800 after tax ($ 13,725), 2 seats, range 90 miles, top speed 60 mph. Ideal for shopping, school runs and commuting.

And better not hold your breath if you’re looking to buy an affordable electric runabout, or at least a European one, in the near future. European manufacturers are not interested, but Chinese ones, according to French consultancy Inovev.

The drive to make a small electric car is overflowing. The Citroen Ami is too small, too slow and short … [+] on range. (Photo by Abdulmonam Eassa / Getty Images)

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“Well, it doesn’t seem to be part of the medium-term plan of the European automakers to bring a product onto the market for 10,000 euros or less. First, because the cost of EV technologies – batteries, EV motors, and power electronics – is still too high. Second, because the European automakers obviously have no interest in offering small, inexpensive vehicles. They are more interested in selling bigger vehicles with a higher (profit) margin, ”Inovev said in an email exchange.

But European Union (EU) regulations, which are supposed to force automakers to switch to electric drive by allowing large margins on expensive models, run the risk of leaving this hugely important entry-level segment to Chinese manufacturers if average income buyers find out the only ones are vehicles they can afford.

Inovev pointed out that there is a cheap electric vehicle on the market in Europe, the Citroen (part of Stellantis) Ami. The Ami is very cheap, starting at around £ 6,000 ($ 8,200) in France, but its 45 mph top speed and 45 mile range make it clear that it is not a serious competitor.

British car dealer Peter Vardy agrees that many potential electric car buyers are not going to give in just yet.

“With new electric vehicles still coming at a high price, combined with concerns about ‘range fear’, there will continue to be a section of the public who will only switch to electric when they deem it necessary or no other Has choice. Of course, many have already made the leap into electric driving and are seeing the benefits, but when you look at the total cost of ownership it’s just not an option for some, ”said Edward Carpenter, director of electric vehicles at Vardy.

Audi e-tron Sportback (Photo by Sjoerd van der Wal / Getty Images)

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“It will be really interesting to see which of the manufacturers will be the first to fill the void to conquer those in the market who think a new EV in today’s market is too much for them. We also believe we have a great responsibility to educate customers about savings in operating costs so that they don’t just look at and be put off looking at a monthly price versus an ICE model, ”said Carpenter.

The Fiat 500 e is now well below its planned annual sales rate of 80,000. Inovev expects sales of just over 48,000 this year, gradually to just over 65,000 by 2030. The 500e is now available in Europe and will soon be released in Israel and Brazil. Fiat remains silent on speculation that it will be sold in the US That would come as a surprise to the Americans, because in 2014 the late Sergio Marchione, the legendary CEO of Fiat-Chrysler (Fiat now belongs to Stellantis after the merger with Peugeot from France) pleaded for not buying an electric Fiat 500 as $ 14,000 was lost to the company every time one was sold. It’s unlikely that even someone as astute as Marchionne could have imagined this little car would sell for as much as $ 45,000, at what price a healthy profit is sure to be made.

Fiat 500e Icon Convertible

Electric motor – 118 hp, torque 220 Nm

Battery capacity – 42 kWh

Electricity consumption – 14.6 kWh per 100 km

Requested Range – 199 miles (WLTP), only 285 miles driven in town

WintonsWorld test – 161 miles

Charging time – quick charge 80% in 30 minutes, 7.4 kW full charge at home 6 hours

Acceleration – 0-60 mph 8.7 seconds

Top speed – 93 mph

Price £ 33,882, ($ 46,500 after tax)