Overview
Fiat Automobile S.p.A. is a subsidiary the Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe PSA (French).
You may not be familiar with these names, but the automotive brands in the portfolio would be well known to most consumers. These include: Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Jeep, Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo etc.
Fiat continues to remain the largest automotive manufacturer in Italy, but also has manufacturing locations globally, with Brazil as the largest international production site. Fiat Automobiles has been recognised in Europe for the lower emission footprint of its vehicles and has been ranked as the lowest level of CO2 emissions by vehicles sold in Europe.
The all-electric 500 is leading the transition for the Italian manufacturer to zero-tailpipe emission electric driving. The company currently has the following portfolio of electric vehicles (EVs):
- Fiat 500e Hatchback
- Fiat 500e Cabrio
- Fiat 600e SUV
Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we would recommend a read of the following articles:
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The All-Electric Fiat 600e SUV
Fiat is neither the first, nor will it be the last automotive manufacturer keen to capitalise on the continued popularity of environmentally-friendly SUVs. The latest electric car from the Italian ‘Dolce Vita’ brand, the compact pure electric 600e SUV (B-Segment) is a bigger and more practical sister of the incumbent 500e all-electric hatchback.
Some may be familiar with the Fiat 600 nameplate, a city family car sold by Fiat between 1955 to 1969. Apart from the name, the Fiat 600 internal combustion engine (ICE) car has very little in common with the 600e electric car.
However, the Fiat 600e does have a lot more in common with other electric vehicles (EVs) manufactured on the Stellantis Common Modular Platform (eCMP) platform. The all-electric Jeep Avenger is an example. Both the Avenger and the 600e are manufactured in Poland using the eCMP platform.
For those keen on a Fiat pure electric car, but with more practicality than the 500e, the 600e is certainly worth considering. The Fiat 600e is 4.17 metres in length. In comparison the 500e is 3.6 metres. The 600e offers a 360 L boot space, compared to 185 L for the 500e electric hatchback. The 600e also has 15 L of interior storage and a frunk. Despite the increase in length, the legroom for taller rear seated passengers is limited.
But the enhancement in practicality is not limited to the dimensions of the EVs. Even in terms of battery size and electric range, the 600e electric crossover has much more to offer compared to the 500e. The Fiat 600e incorporates a 54 kWh onboard EV battery with a claimed pure electric range up to 254 miles (WLTP).
In comparison, the Fiat 500e has a 42 kWh onboard EV battery with a 199 miles e-range. Even adjusting for real-world driving conditions, the all-electric Fiat 600e should be able to achieve over 215 miles. Sufficient for both day-to-day shorter commutes and longer distance motorway driving. According to the manufacturer, “it represents the ideal solution for both city lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.” The 54 kWh EV battery weighs 339 kg.
As is now becoming a common approach by electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers, the 600 electric car offers a 11 kW (three-phase) AC onboard charger as standard. Certainly helpful for those countries (like Germany), where homes are powered by three-phase power supply.
However, for countries like the UK, powered by single-phase power supply, home charging will be limited to single phase (7 kW). Of course, for those with access to three-phase AC charging at home, work or public charging, the EV can be charged up to 100% in 5 hours and 45 minutes.
We recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to charging an electric car. This way, EV charging times are shorter and this approach is better for the long-term maintenance of the EV battery. Fiat offers 8 years or 100,000 miles as the warranty for the EV battery (SOH of 70%).
When not charging at home, electric cars should take advantage of the faster DC charging at public charging destinations. The 600e offers DC charging up to 100 kW DC and the EV can be charged from 20% to 80% in 27 minutes. For those new to DC charging follow this link to learn about the differences between AC charging and DC charging.
The Fiat 600e does have stiff competition in its segment, with a number of compact pure electric SUVs already available. Some of these include, the all-electric BYD Atto 3, the all-electric Smart #1, the all-electric Honda e:Ny1, the all-electric Hyundai Kona Electric, the all-electric Kia Niro EV, and of course the all-electric Jeep Avenger. Having said that, Fiat certainly has a stronger brand recognition in our market, compared to more recent entrants, like the Chinese automotive manufacturer BYD. Brand cachet does matter!
In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive (FWD) Fiat 600e electric SUV can deliver 0-62 mph in 9.0 seconds, with a top speed up to 93 mph (max power: 156 PS/ torque: 260 Nm). There are three driving modes. The EV also incorporates one-pedal driving.
The exterior styling of the five-door 600e, though quite similar to the 500e, the e-SUV does have a beefier appearance i.e. more muscular compared to the 500e. The Fiat EV is available in two variants, the Fiat 600e La Prima and the Fiat 600e (RED). The latter variant is targeted towards a younger consumer base, keen on migrating to cleaner modes of transportation.
Certainly the bright exterior colour options will appeal to a younger demographic base. Interestingly, Fiat does not offer the EV in the colour grey and will not be offering this colour on any new models. According to Fiat, grey does not represent Dolce Vita!
The EV has a 10.25″ infotainment screen, along with a 7″ instrument display. Both, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is on offer.
Other features include: intelligent speed assist, cruise control, traffic sign information, attention assistant, lane keeping assist, blind spot detection, handsfree tailgate and more. The top-of-the-range, 600e La Prima, offers Drive Assist as standard (Level 2 Assisted Driving). The model has yet to be tested for safety by Euro NCAP. The La Prima variant also incorporates keyless entry and driver’s massage seat as standard.
Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax rate for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! You can lease electric cars via e-zoomed at very competitive rates!
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Attractive exterior styling | Limited legroom for taller adults seated on rear seats |
Decent electric range | DC charging limited to 100 kW DC |
11 KW onboard AC charger as standard | Limited exterior colour options |
The All-Electric Fiat 600e SUV (credit: Fiat)
At A Glance | |
---|---|
EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
Body Type: | SUV |
Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG): | Not Available |
Engine: | Electric |
Available In UK: | Yes |
Variants (2 Options) |
---|
Fiat 600e Red (from £29,435) |
Fiat 600e La Prima (from £31,435) |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
---|---|
EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in two sizes: 54 kWh |
Charging: | 100 kW DC rapid charging (20%-80%: 27 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 5.45 hrs) |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
EV Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 100,000 miles |
Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
---|---|
Battery net capacity : 16.7 kWh | £2.40 |
Battery net capacity : 30.0 kWh | £4.32 |
Battery net capacity : 39.2 kWh | £5.64 |
Battery net capacity : 45.0 kWh | £6.48 |
Battery net capacity : 50.0 kWh | £7.20 |
Battery net capacity : 64.0 kWh | £9.22 |
Battery net capacity : 71.0 kWh | £10.22 |
Battery net capacity : 77.0 kWh | £11.09 |
Battery net capacity : 90.0 kWh | £12.96 |
Battery net capacity : 100.0 kWh | £14.40 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
Charging Times (Overview) | |
---|---|
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Height (mm): | 1523 |
Width (mm): | 1781 |
Length (mm): | 4171 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 2562 |
Turning Circle (m): | 10.5 |
Boot Space (L): | 360 |
Fiat 600e | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 54 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 254 miles |
Electric Consumption (kWh/100km): | 15.1 – 15.2 |
Charging: | 100 kW DC rapid charging (20%-80%: 27 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 5.45 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 93 mph |
0-62 mph: | 9.0 seconds |
Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 115 |
Max Power (PS): | 156 |
Torque (Nm): | 260 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,520 |
Colours: | 7 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
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