The new Fiat 500 ‘la Prima’ hatchback is making its debut following the unveiling of the new 500 ‘la Prima’ convertible in March.  Fiat says that “combining a new electric soul with its iconic design and attention to detail, the New 500 retains the unique characteristics of the ‘Cinquino’ to provide sustainable mobility for all”. The new 500 ‘la Prima’ hatchback – including the fitment of the easyWallbox – is priced at £26,995, including PiCG.

High specification for ‘la Prima’ special edition

The new 500 ‘la Prima’ hatchback is marked out by its panoramic glass sunroof to flood the passenger compartment with ligh. The rear features a classic tailgate and a new more pronounced spoiler, to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Three exclusive paint colours are available: pearlescent Ocean Green; metallic Mineral Grey; and three-layer Celestial Blue.  As standard, the ‘la Prima’ model includes full LED headlights, 17-inch diamond-cut wheels, chrome-plated inserts on the side panels, and dashboard and eco-leather seat upholstery.

Range, charging and driving the new 500 hatchback

The lithium-ion batteries, with a capacity of 42kWh, give the new 500 a range of up to 199 miles in the WLTP cycle. To optimise charging time, the new 500 is equipped with an 85kW fast charge system. It takes only five minutes to build up a sufficient energy reserve to travel 30 miles, more than the average daily commute. Using a fast charger can also power the battery to 80 per cent in 35 minutes. The Combo 2 socket, located on the rear right side panel of the car, has the ability to accept both AC and DC charging.

Home charging solutions are also available. The launch edition of the new 500 comes complete with an easyWallbox, a home charging system that can simply be connected to a normal home outlet. ENGIE EPS developed this solution for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). This simple, accessible ‘plug-and-charge’ solution can be managed easily via Bluetooth. It can stabilise energy load by charging a 500 at home with up to 3kW of charging power, without the need for professional installation.

The easyWallbox can be upgraded to 7.4kW, providing a full charge at home in just over six hours. The new 500 also comes with a Mode 3 cable for charging at up to 11kW from a public charge point.

The new 500 has three driving modes: Normal, Range and Sherpa, which can be selected to suit your driving style or requirements.

Sherpa mode optimises the available resources to reduce fuel consumption to a minimum, enabling it to reach the destination set on the navigation system or the nearest charging station. This driving mode adjusts various parameters: maximum speed is limited to 50mph; accelerator response is managed in order to reduce energy consumption; and deactivation of both the climate control system and heated seats (the driver has the option of activating them at any time).

‘Normal’ mode is as close as possible to driving a vehicle with a normal combustion engine, while ‘Range’ mode activates the ‘one-pedal-drive’ function. By selecting this driving mode, the new 500 can be driven with the accelerator pedal alone. Releasing the accelerator causes much greater deceleration than with a normal combustion engine, almost as if the brake pedal was pushed. The brake pedal must be used to bring the car to a complete stop.

The electric motor has an output of 87kW, providing a maximum speed of 93mph (self-limited) and acceleration from zero to 62mph in 9 seconds and zero to 31mph in 3.1 seconds.

Level 2 autonomous driving and connectivity

The new 500 is not just an electric city car, it is also claimed to be the first car in its segment to offer level 2 autonomous driving.

• Front-facing camera monitoring technology to monitor all areas of the car, both longitudinally and laterally
• Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (iACC) system brakes or accelerates in response to cars, cyclists, pedestrians
• Lane Centring keeps the vehicle in the centre of the lane when the markings are correctly identified
• Intelligent Speed Assist reads the speed limits and recommends applying them
• Urban Blind Spot uses ultrasonic sensors to monitor the blind spots and warn of any obstacles with a triangular warning light on the wing mirror
• Attention Assist provides warnings on the display, recommending that you stop and take a break when you are tired
• 360-degree sensors provide a drone-like view to avoid any obstacles when parking or performing complex manoeuvres

The new 500 is the first FCA car to be equipped with the new UConnect 5 infotainment system. UConnect 5 is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto operating systems and can be used in wireless mode.

The 500 offers seamless integration with a smartphone, offering a 10.25-inch high-definition horizontal touchscreen with a 16:9 aspect ratio that fits perfectly into the car dashboard.

UConnect 5 combined with the telematic box module not only provides the mandatory Emergency Call feature, but also a number of connectivity services:

• My Remote: checks the battery charge level from a smartphone; schedule vehicle charging during the most convenient time periods; know the exact location of the car; lock and unlock the doors and set the climate control system
• My Navigation: set the destination on the car navigator, identify the route, check the traffic and weather conditions along the route, and see speed camera and charging point locations, all directly from the app
• My Assistant: an assistance system to supplement an emergency call to talk to with assistant to ask for help in the event of breakdown
• My Theft assistance: this tracks the car so that it can be recovered if stolen
• My Wi-Fi: A true hotspot that connects up to eight electronic devices to the network at the same time (this service is only available in some markets)
• My Car: to check the condition of the car, immediately verifying various parameters from tyre pressure to service schedule

The UConnect 5 system works both inside and outside the car, allowing the driver to set the navigation route in advance, and to pre-condition the climate control. Smartphones can be connected in just five seconds using wireless functionality.

The launch version also boasts the natural language interface system, with advanced speech recognition, to talk to the car to control parameters, set the climate control and choose the music.

Reserving the new 500 hatchback

Customers can now reserve with the New 500 hatchback or convertible in the UK without needing to pay a deposit.

Potential customers can choose between the two body types – hatchback or convertible, choose a colour, sign up and indicate their preferred dealership. The system – claimed to be a first in the automotive industry – uses the customer’s post code to identify local environmental incentives and provides an indicative estimate of the cost of their new 500. Once orders open for the new Fiat 500, users will be some of the first to be contacted by the dealership they selected, to proceed with their orders if they wish. This expression of interest by the customer is in no way binding, given that it does not represent an order or sale and does not therefore constitute a process of purchase of assets, services or other goods, including online.