Pretty Little Things 2021 Fiat 500e

We must admit it: we couldn’t resist the charm of the new Fiat 500e. It’s one of the most well designed, well-thought after electric cars we’ve seen so far: if the 500 isn’t already pretty enough, the new EV model is ever more gorgeous. 

Made in Turin at the historic Mirafiori plant, the new 500 is a capable and fun city car that can cover 320 km in one charge. Elegant, with 4 seats and an open roof, it’s the classiest way to get around town: face it, it’s the vehicle which finds itself loved by many.

In many ways, the new 500 is the best reimagination of the original concept of the “Nuova 500” which came out in 1957. Besides the 600, the car which started the real “revolution” in mobility in Italy, the 500 was the car that became an icon, a symbol of Italy everywhere. Practical, capable and captivating, it represented the entry level car for many generations. The original idea by Dante Giacosa was to create a car that also had limited consumption of fuel and an engine powerful enough to power it to 100 kph, an important figure for the time. And now, with 320 km of range thanks to the lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 42 Kwh and a captivating style, we have to say we couldn’t resist taking it out for a drive around Montecarlo.

As lovers of classics, we had to have an original 500 to accompany us to the trip. These cars seem to be made for the cote d’Azur: small and fun, they can hustle themselves very well in the tight spots around Monaco. No matter how many old cars you drive, the 500 will always feel small and tiny. It’s light as well and it makes great use of its twin cylinder engine: surprisingly, it’s lively and has good torque low in the rev-range, allowing for a surprising amount of fun while driving. We live in an era when “small” cars are big: you’ll be spending some time to adapt yourself to how easy it is to park: these are the joys of minimalism! It’s a small tin-can on wheels, but it does a great job in being a complete motorcar. The foldable roof and the adequate space inside make it a car which is contemporary and perfectly usable: in many ways it’s not a classic that is old… as it is still a great daily driver. Close to zero fuel consumption, fun to drive at slow speeds and impossible to get speeding tickets… Plus girls love it!

Obviously, the new 500E is bigger but still has all the qualities that made the 500 famous in the first place: practical, fun, economical and yet…not slow. As a matter of fact, this new electric car is not slow by any means and it doubles the fun to drive it. Three modes allow you to change the energy consumption and tailor the fun to your needs. The interior quality has definitely been improved over the standard 500’s and the interior has a lovely fit and finish with materials that are a pleasure to touch and to look at. The way it drives seems that it has been made for 2021 Monaco as it’s a showcase of “consumer’s chic”: everything in this car is made to be practical but in the end it still manages to be fun and able to brighten up your day. 

It’s new and nostalgic and perhaps a great tribute to one of the most iconic cars of the years of “La Dolce Vita”. We thank Fiat for not having over-designed the 500 into a more aggressive car: cannot be happier to find that an EV can be at the same time captivating and reminiscent of the old era and forward looking at the same time.