New Fiat 500 revealed: popular city car goes electric

An all-electric version of the Fiat 500 has been revealed with a launch edition model priced at £29,000 after the Government's plug-in car grant.

Set to rival the Honda E and MINI Electric, the electric 500 will be sold alongside the current car - which has just been updated with mild-hybrid tech - to give buyers a choice of petrol or electric power.

It features a 118PS electric motor combined with a 42kWh battery pack to provide the 500 Electric with an official range of 199 miles.

As with other electric cars, the 500 Electric is fairly brisk around town, accelerating to 31mph from a standstill in just 3.1 seconds. 0-62mph takes 9.0 seconds, while top speed is 93mph.

There are three driving modes: Sherpa, Normal and Range. Sherpa is intended to provide a useful boost in range when required, reducing throttle response, limiting top speed to 50mph and switching off the climate control.

Range, meanwhile, will increase with regenerative braking, meaning the car will slow down as soon as you lift of the accelerator. This pumps energy back into the battery and will help you travel further on a charge.

An 85kW rapid-charge system means the battery can be topped up from zero to 80 per cent in 35 minutes, while 31 miles of range can be provided in just five minutes.

Although clearly identifiable as a Fiat 500, the Electric is marginally bigger than the electric car, leading to more space inside. The interior that's been also been given a significant update, with more leg and shoulder room for passengers, while the boot remains the same size as its predecessor.

The wide dashboard houses a new 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, DAB radio and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Like the standard Fiat 500, the electric model will be available as a convertible - meaning it's the first four-seat electric convertible on the market.

Pre-orders for the electric Fiat 500 in launch edition La Prima trim are now open, with prices starting from £29,000. Deliveries are expected from early 2021.