The year 2020 will usher in a whole new era. The small and compact Fiat 500 will open up to a whole new audience as a retro Stromer in the second half of the year. The 500 has enjoyed a growing fan base in recent years. Only a few months will pass before the start of the emission-free future. The Fiat 500 will continue to accompany us as an unmistakable electric retro speedster in the years to come.
Fiat 500 electric version
The third generation of the Fiat 500 will celebrate its premiere on July 04th and will start with an innovation offensive against strong competition from the already established small electric cars. Tradition and progress fuse in a new union to form a new vehicle concept. The traditional external values with an unmistakable characteristic are clearly retained in terms of design and recognizability. In contrast, the 500 takes a leap into the 21st century under the sheet metal cover.
The balancing act between traditions from the times of the economic miracle and modern requirements is seldom found in automobile construction, as in the case of the Mini or the new generation of the Fiat 500 Year 1957 a typical Italian icon. Over the past 2007 years, the 500 series has been accompanied by more than 13 special models with their own character.
2020 is the world premiere for the third generation with idiosyncratic solutions for sustainability, connectivity and autonomous driving characteristics. The rebirth of the icon paired with emission-free mobility gives the 500 series its own aura. As part of the video campaign, three show cars were presented in cooperation with Giorgio Armani, Bvlgari and Kartell. The individual pieces are to be auctioned and the proceeds will be donated to one of Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental protection organizations.
Small, compact and equipped with a good range
Good ranges are an outstanding selling point for an electric car. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 42 kWh on board and is therefore well positioned compared to the competition with 320 km according to the WLTP standard. The charging current of up to 85 kW charges the battery sufficiently quickly if there are fast charging stations; in about three quarters of an hour, the battery should be charged up to 80% again under optimal conditions. With the standard CCS2 connection, charging is possible with both direct and alternating current. A mode 3 cable enables charging at stations up to 11 kW. Those who pre-order the Fiat 500 should also receive a home charging station in the package for the starter series.
Sherpa fashion
A special highlight is hidden behind the normal, range and sherpa speed levels. In other cars you will probably find the common name “Eco plus” for the Sherpa mode. This also reduces all comfort features to achieve maximum range, very practical from our tests for controlling a nearby fast charging station.
Depending on your driving style, you can choose between the comfortable “normal mode” and the “range mode”. When releasing the accelerator pedal, braking processes are triggered for recuperation and the highest possible energy recovery is achieved. After getting used to it, experienced drivers can almost do without the brake pedal.
The electric motor has an output of 118 hp and accelerates to 9 km / h within 100 seconds. The top speed should be sealed off at 150 km / h.
Standard autonomous driving at level 2
The third generation is designed with level 2 autonomous driving systems and thus sets standards in the small car segment. The systems required for this include, for example, cameras that monitor the area around the longitudinal and transverse axis of the vehicle. According to the manufacturer, the adaptive cruise control (intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control iACC) reacts with braking or acceleration not only taking into account other vehicles, but also cyclists and pedestrians. Lane Centering is designed to keep the new Fiat 500 in the middle of the lane, provided that it is precisely defined by lines.
The integrated speed assistant recognizes signs indicating speed limits and prompts you to adhere to them. The further developed Blind Spot Assistant (Urban Blind Spot) uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects in the so-called blind spots of the exterior mirrors and activates a corresponding warning signal in the form of a triangle on the mirror surfaces.
Uconnet 5 as infotainment
The drowsiness assistant (Attention Assist) recognizes the driver's lack of concentration and recommends a break by activating a corresponding symbol. In addition, the new Fiat 500 is equipped with "360 ° Drone View", a 360-degree camera system that creates an image during parking maneuvers, for example, as if a drone were hovering over the vehicle.
The third generation of the Fiat 500 is the first model from FCA with the further developed infotainment system Uconnect 5. Based on the almost unlimited customizable operating system Android Automotive, Uconnect 5 creates a completely new type of user experience. With so-called widgets, the graphic representation of functions and applications can be freely designed. This technology allows the integration of smartphones and is compatible with Apple Car Play * and Android Auto *. Uconnect 5 is controlled via a high-resolution touchscreen with a screen diagonal of 10,25 inches (26 centimeters) in 16: 9 format.
Conclusion
Due to the typical design elements paired with the emission-free drive, the new Fiat 500 has developed into one of the most exciting electric cars in the small car segment. With the fast charging system and the good range, it will certainly appeal to a wide audience. It can be reserved immediately for the market launch as “la Prima” in the Cabriolet variant.
Addendum
Sources and images: Copyright Fiat
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