Automotive

EV Adapt brings electric Fiat 500 to Europe

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The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe
The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe
The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe
The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe
The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe
The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe
One of the CARe 500's battery packs
The CARe 500 production line
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Fiat recently announced that it will be manufacturing an electric version of its cute li’l 500 automobile for the North American market, starting in 2012. If you can’t wait that long, however, you can get one in Europe right now – you just won’t be buying it from Fiat. The Italian automaker gave Swedish company EV Adapt permission to buy the stock 500, swap out the combustion motor for an electric one, and then resell the car as an EV. Sold as the CARe 500, the vehicle is now available throughout Europe. In an interesting move, buyers have the option of purchasing a battery-less car for a reduced price, and then renting its battery pack.

The CARe 500 has a 24kW three-phase AC motor, a top speed of 120kph (75mph) and a range of 120 km (75 miles). The battery pack consists of two sets of LiFePO4 battery cells, with a combined energy capacity of 15kWh. It recharges in 6-8 hours, via a standard 230V socket.

The CARe 500 is an electric version of the Fiat 500, and is now available in Europe

The price of the car, sans batteries, is €23,900 (US$32,697). Buyers who go this route pay a monthly fee of €150 (US$205), which includes batteries that will always be in good shape, and a flat amount that covers all of their electricity use. An onboard "smart meter" keeps track of how much juice is pumped into the batteries, and if owners spend over €150 in one month, then the difference will be deducted from the next month's payment. For owners who use their car a lot, this could be quite a good deal.

For people who would prefer to buy a car with the batteries included, prices start at €36,900 (US$50,481).

EV Adapt's CARe 500 is available via Care-Mobility (website is in German).

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2 comments
mrhuckfin
Again like all electric cars, to high a price, to short a range, and to long to recharge. If you have to give a tax incentive (bribe) to get anyone to even buy one of these then that tells me the public really isn\'t interested in one? As soon as you can bring the price down to what a gas or diesel powered car costs plus make it so it has the same range and no longer to recharge then what it takes to gas up a petrol powered car then we\'ll more then likely start buying them.
Will, the tink
They TAKE OUT the combustion engine then convert car to EV? Why can\'t they order the car without drive train as a roller, direct from factory? These unnecessary steps add more cost to the finished product and are not part of a good business plan. I agree with @mrhuckfin that the price point needs to come down where comparable to the combustion-engined car while range is of secondary importance to me and charge time is least important. The technology is not there yet to have all three in same package! I like the idea of renting the batteries but would take it one step further and design battery box for quick change out. That way you could go to the dealer and for a small fee swap out depleted pack for a freshly charged set (taking care of your \"quick charge\" issue.)