Fiat 600e

Driving range per charge is 493km

A gorgeous and cute compact crossover BEV that will add color to your everyday life… That’s the impression I got when I saw the 600e, which Fiat is launching in the Japanese market for the first time in a year and a half.

The 600e is an electric vehicle that uses the CMP platform developed by Steyrance (or, more precisely, Groupe PSA) for B-C segment vehicles such as the Citroën C4 and Peugeot e-2008. It is a front-wheel drive (FWD) model equipped with a 54 kWh lithium-ion battery, and boasts a range of 493 km per charge, which is more than sufficient for a BEV. The battery can be charged using both 200 V standard charging and CHAdeMO fast charging.

An interior heavily influenced by the original 600

The instrument panel has a simple yet luxurious design. The round meter cluster and two-spoke steering wheel, which were inspired by the original 600, are cute. The eco-leather seats, with stylish blue stitching, are thick and comfortable to sit on. — [1]

The design features a rounded body form that is considered “cute” by anyone, regardless of age or gender. The design is said to be inspired by the original 600, Fiat’s first rear-engine car, which appeared in 1955. Indeed, the 600e gives the impression of successfully modernizing the iconography of the original 600, with its bright, round, eye-like LED headlights, round meter cluster, and two-spoke steering wheel.

The 600e’s body size is 4200mm long, 1780mm wide, and 1595mm high, making it a very user-friendly size for Japan’s road conditions. It’s a five-door crossover with ample luggage capacity of 360L, so I personally found it more appealing than the 500e.

I took a test drive around Yokohama’s Minato Mirai area, sitting on stylish eco-leather seats with ivory as the base color and turquoise stitching as accents. The first thing that surprised me was how nimble the 600e was. Looking at the spec sheet, I was surprised to see that it was extremely light for a modern BEV, weighing just 1,580 kg. From high-speed corners to intersections in the city, the way it turned with such ease was enough to make me forget I was in a BEV.

Dreams unfold in the vast luggage space

The slow steering and relaxed ride are typical of a Fiat. The BEV version makes it feel even more Fiat-like.

It boasts a luggage capacity of 360 liters, the largest in the B segment, and is also equipped with a hands-free power liftgate. — [2]

The driving feel is very “Fiat-like.” The steering is slow, and the car turns as smoothly as you turn the rudder. The suspension has a generous stroke, smoothly absorbing ruts and unevenness in the road surface. The slow steering and relaxed ride are truly Fiat-like.

Also, even if you press the accelerator pedal roughly when the sport mode is selected, there is no violent movement such as hitting your head against the headrest. The linear acceleration feel is also good for a modern BEV. After the test drive, I tried sitting in the back seat, and even though I am 175 cm tall, there was about a fist’s worth of room in the front seat and above my head.

The 600e is a truly Fiat-like finish, marking the birth of an attractive BEV model that has the potential to be accepted by everyone.

REPORT / Ryohei Ishikawa

PHOTO / Kenji Ichi

MAGAZINE / GENROQ December 2024 issue

SPECIFICATIONS

Fiat 600e

Body size: Length 4200, width 1780, height 1595mm

Wheelbase: 2560mm

Vehicle weight: 1580kg

Motor

maximum output: 115kW (156PS) / 4070-7500rpm

Max torque: 270Nm (27.5kgm) / 200-1677rpm

Transmission: Fixed 1st

gear Drive system: FWD

Suspension type: Front MacPherson strut, rear torsion beam

Brakes: Front ventilated disc, rear disc

Tire size: Front and rear 215/55R18

Driving range per charge: 493km (WLTC)

Vehicle price: 5.85 million yen