500 (Electric) Hi there new Fiat 500e ownr here

[reactive]

Hi All

500e owner here from Berkshire.
S

 

[ben]

Hi All

500e owner here from Berkshire.
S

Great to have you on board, would be great if you add your car to our garage

 

[The Panda Nut]

Yes agree with Ben. Please tell us all about your car. Looks like we will all be pushed into EV driving one day and the 500 is of interest. All the good and bad bits and especially things like tyre wear, servicing costs and experiences.etc.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi,
several 18 month owners now,

Welcome

 

[steveras57]

Aint gonna be pushed into ANYTHING! myself!.
If i wanted an electric car theres a pretty good toy shop in my nearest town! absolutely no interest in em whatsoever ( and dont start me on the moral failings of the companys using near slave labour to produce there "ecological batteries and drive systems! --lithium mining anyone!) .

Then theres the charging point problems -you cant charge one with it sitting in the road now can you! so you have to own your own house /own drive or garage! bit of a rich/ poor divide going on dont ya think?..

Also no countrywide structured charging systems( and wont be for AT LEAST ANTHER 10 YEARS AT BEST!) To much hype!- not enough practicality! maybe all part of the governments plan to reduce(and maybe eliminate!) personal transport and mobility for the masses to enforce there controls overall!
rant over going for a lie down!
Did i mention i dont want one?

 

[The Panda Nut]

But the 500 is the cheapest or one of them so while I agree with Severas57 on a lot of it, Im interested. my only expereince of them is an owner venting steam about the alck of range on his week old car it ran out of juice some 40 miles before he thought it should. Hence wanting to know. what is the real v's quoted range in summer winter, hot and cold times etc. In the real world driving normally and when driven fast. How much can you extend things if really trying.

I must say I wonder where the power will come from. OIl and gas fired power stations? With all the demands of the now required heat pups for heating it seems we need more generation. Those n#running ridiculous high powered electric cars it seems contribute nothing to the mix and national and international policy is chaotic at best.

But it seems learning how these things work and how best ot use them and to control costs is still important. The more real information we have that is verified and confirmed, the better armed we shall be to drive change the best way. Its so clear governments wont be leading and will only follow and badly at that.

 

[IanML]

I must say I wonder where the power will come from. OIl and gas fired power stations? With all the demands of the now required heat pups for heating it seems we need more generation.

Nuclear, solar, wave and wind (with storage when the wind don't blow, but it seems to blow plenty at the moment!)

 

[The Panda Nut]

Nuclear will be at least 20 years.
Solar yes eventually
Wave. We are not even trying yet. Only one experimental site. No funding or effort going in.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Wind we are getting some but useless in high winds or calm. Hence my query. When exactly are we going to start? Long after my time.

 

[gazz_bee]

Aint gonna be pushed into ANYTHING! myself!.
If i wanted an electric car theres a pretty good toy shop in my nearest town! absolutely no interest in em whatsoever ( and dont start me on the moral failings of the companys using near slave labour to produce there "ecological batteries and drive systems! --lithium mining anyone!) .

Then theres the charging point problems -you cant charge one with it sitting in the road now can you! so you have to own your own house /own drive or garage! bit of a rich/ poor divide going on dont ya think?..

Also no countrywide structured charging systems( and wont be for AT LEAST ANTHER 10 YEARS AT BEST!) To much hype!- not enough practicality! maybe all part of the governments plan to reduce(and maybe eliminate!) personal transport and mobility for the masses to enforce there controls overall!
rant over going for a lie down!
Did i mention i dont want one?

What a fantastic way to introduce someone to the forum....
Personally, I welcome anything that takes polluting diesels off the road but EVs offer much more than that in propulsion. Much quieter, smoother and more reliable transmission.

Presumably you mean the ethics of cobalt mining not lithium? The electronics industry that probably powered the smartphone or laptop you used to post here is the prominent user of cobalt in batteries, not EV cars. Stelliantis have pledged to rid their batteries of cobalt before the end of 2024 by the way.

I don't have a garage or drive and have managed to figure out how to charge my car as a commuter using destination charging. Funnily enough I similarly manage to survive fuelling my other car without having a petrol pump at my house.

 

[gazz_bee]

But the 500 is the cheapest or one of them so while I agree with Severas57 on a lot of it, Im interested. my only expereince of them is an owner venting steam about the alck of range on his week old car it ran out of juice some 40 miles before he thought it should. Hence wanting to know. what is the real v's quoted range in summer winter, hot and cold times etc. In the real world driving normally and when driven fast. How much can you extend things if really trying.

I must say I wonder where the power will come from. OIl and gas fired power stations? With all the demands of the now required heat pups for heating it seems we need more generation. Those n#running ridiculous high powered electric cars it seems contribute nothing to the mix and national and international policy is chaotic at best.

But it seems learning how these things work and how best ot use them and to control costs is still important. The more real information we have that is verified and confirmed, the better armed we shall be to drive change the best way. Its so clear governments wont be leading and will only follow and badly at that.

160 miles range in temperate months with mixed use, 120 in winter. First service was £100, second service was £150 which includes a brake fluid change. Second service was at 10,000 miles, front tyres are at 4.0mm tread, virtually no wear on brake pads or discs.

Franchised dealer managed to make a mess of the brake fluid change needing a repeat visit to bleed them. Also advised that the front tyres urgently needed to be replaced as they were close to their wear limit at 4.0mm tread. New car model but some things never change....

 

[The Panda Nut]

Yes that needs no comment from them!! Personally I chuck tyres as soon after 3.5mm is reached as covenient. At the legal limit wet performance is woeful. But that garage should stick to quoting tread depth. That is useful, if often badly measured!

 

[The Panda Nut]

Thanks for this. Its what we need more of. Really helps open the mind to real world things. I think I might try and get a 24 hour test drive. Or hire for a week. There is no question of driving qualities being other than good. I do wonder how EVs are in icy and snowy conditions with all that torque.
Do you find you drive faster in the EV as it goes easily?

 

[gazz_bee]

Thanks for this. Its what we need more of. Really helps open the mind to real world things. I think I might try and get a 24 hour test drive. Or hire for a week. There is no question of driving qualities being other than good. I do wonder how EVs are in icy and snowy conditions with all that torque.
Do you find you drive faster in the EV as it goes easily?

We haven't had much snow in the past couple of years to really test it but it is more competent in icy conditions than my Mini (although that is a low bar).

I don't drive faster in an EV as digital speedos give a more visible indication than analogue dials of where you are relative to the speed limit, but definitely get to the limit sooner. Having the extra torque helps at roundabouts and busy junctions as gaps are less critical than they were in the 1.2 or even twinair. There are times, normally when an Audi is trying to mate with the rear of the 500, where having the torque on demand is an absolute hoot and the delivery from 0-40mph never gets old.

I know an EV won't suit everyone but I would recommend at least trying one before judging. I've had access to a number of different EVs over the past 7 or 8 years and Fiat have actually made a decent car with the 500e.