Fiat 500 and Panda models boosted with electrification that promise cleaner emissions will arrive in UK showrooms in early 2020, priced from £12,665.
These are the first hybrid cars for the whole Fiat Chrysler group (in Europe anyway) and mark the start of a drive to reduce tailpipe gasses and fuel consumption with battery tech.
The new 500 will begin from £12,665, while the Panda costs from £13,885. That’s a modest increase on the base price of the 500, but a more than £3,000 jump for the Panda – due probably to it only being availble in high-specification trim levels.
Following on will be a 100% electric Fiat 500 city car, but for now let’s take a look under the bonnet of these new mild hybrid models.
Hybrid combines petrol and electric power
Powering the 500 and Panda will be an updated three-cylinder FireFly 1.0-litre engine, and a 12-volt electric motor connected to a lithium battery. All told you get 70hp.
That’s a whole 1hp more than the outgoing 1.2-litre 69hp petrol engine, but where this version promises a larger improvement is the 30% reduction in CO2.
Fiat says noise and vibration will be cut too thanks to the seamless switching on and off of the petrol engine, which also delivers 92Nm of torque. All told the new power unit weighs just 77kg.
Electrification aids cabin refinement too
The battery is charged during braking and deceleration and utilises this power to restart the engine in stop/start mode and to boost acceleration.
This technology means the internal combustion engine can be switched off when the gearbox is in neutral, and there’s a prompt on the dashboard to tell you when to do this.
As standard you get a six-speed manual transmissions that has been optimised for improved fuel economy in out-of-town driving.
On windy roads the fact the engine has been lowered by 45mm means the 500 and Panda should handle even better too.
Specific styling and badging
You’ll spot the hybrid cars thanks to their ‘Hybrid’ logo on the rear and ‘H’ logo on the centre panel. Dew Green exterior paint is also exclusive to these models.
In the Launch Edition car you get seats made from Seaqual Yarn, which is created using recycled plastic including 10% found in the sea.
The 500 will be available in a full range of trims, from entry-level Pop (£12,665) through Lounge, Sport, Star, Rockstar and top-end Launch Edition (£16,795). The Panda has a rather simpler lineup, with just City Cross (£13,885), Launch Edition and Trussardi (£14,485) trims available. We’ll have to wait for full details of what these specifications include.
The 500 Mild Hybrid and the Panda Mild Hybrid Launch Editions can be ordered from January and first customer deliveries will arrive in the first quarter of 2020.
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