Fiat 500 EV for UK, not yet NZ

Fiat in the United Kingdom has opened no deposit reservations for the new 500 EV hatchback, but the New Zealand distributor says it is too early to make any definitive comment if the car will become available here.

Ateco Group New Zealand is the official distributor for Fiat and marketing executive Sarah Williams told Autotalk today that: “As far as New Zealand goes, it is too early to say if we’ll see the 500 EV here.”

The electric 500 ‘la prima’ for the UK market is priced from £26,995 pounds sterling.

The ‘la Prima’ version receives an 85kW fast charger, ADAS systems with level 2 autonomous driving, a new UConnect 5 infotainment system and exclusive interior.

It also offers a panoramic glass sunroof and a new rear spoiler.

Three exclusive paint colours are available: Ocean Green; Mineral Grey; and Celestial Blue. As standard, the la Prima model includes LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome-plated inserts on the side panels, and eco-leather seat/dashboard upholstery.

The lithium-ion batteries, with a capacity of 42kWh, give the 500 la prima EV a range of up to 320km in the WLTP cycle. To optimise charging time, it is equipped with an 85kW fast charge system. It takes five minutes to build up a sufficient energy reserve to travel up to 48km.

Using a fast charger can also power the battery to 80% 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.