An early Fiat 500E prototype.
Fiat/Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has made no secret of his disdain for electric vehicles, declaring them “economic lemons” during a discussion with reporters earlier this year and all but killing off the U.S. side of his company’s battery-car program.
So, why is Fiat ready to introduce a new electric version of its little 500 model at the upcoming L.A. Auto Show? Because it doesn’t really have a choice.
Under increasingly stringent California requirements – copied by nearly a dozen other states – all major makers will either have to offer low-volume “zero-emissions” vehicles or pull out of a state that generates more sales than most countries.
For now, the maker isn’t saying very much beyond confirming through L.A. show organizers that it will launch the Fiat 500E at next month’s Los Angeles International Auto Show – and that it should be in production around the end of this year or earlier 2013.
It will rely on lithium-ion batteries but the precise size of that pack and such critical details as range, performance and charging times remain to be seen. Some media estimates have put the power of the Fiat 500E motor drive at around 100 horsepower – within a whisker of the current base gas-powered model.
Ultimately, however, torque matters as much as anything in an electric vehicle. That standard gasoline driveline now churns out a modest 98 pound-feet.
The size of an electric vehicle’s battery pack is dependent upon a variety of factors, notably including its intended range. But a lighter, more aerodynamic offering needs less energy to get there. So, expect to see some notably tweaks to the Fiat 500’s exterior to help cheat the wind, as well as the use of lower rolling-resistance tires.
The base car’s minimal size and weight should mean an even smaller battery than the 24 kilowatt-hours used in the Nissan Leaf – which supports speculation that Fiat will market the 500E as one of the most affordable battery cars on the market.
That, in turn, however, would underscore Marchionne’s recent complaint that battery cars are “economic lemons. I lose money on every one.” As does the competition, according to industry analysts.
But there’s little alternative, laments John Mendel, the top-ranking American at Honda. “No one wants to walk away from the California market” where so-called ZEVs are part of the law. The good news is that sales of battery cars is strongest in the Golden State, so the choice of L.A. for the Fiat 500E launch will clearly reach the right buyers.
Separately, Fiat also plans to unveil a convertible version of the 500 Abarth edition at the L.A. Auto Show.