Electric Vehicles Explained: A Detailed Look at the Fiat 500e Experience

Electric Vehicles Redefined: My Week with the Fiat 500e

For the better part of the year, I spent my time browsing Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and various used-car websites, hunting for a cheap, cute, compact vehicle to drive around New York City. Now, do I need a car? No. But when I briefly had access to a car last year, it opened up more leisure opportunities. Getting to our favorite dog-friendly beach was just a 30-minute drive instead of an hour-and-a-half subway ride with three transfers. Visiting my in-laws and parents was easier, considering they didn't live in the city. But if I was going to buy a car, I wanted it to be unique. Something that'd make me feel good driving it. Not many options in the used marketplace fit that criteria unless you're OK with buying a 20-year-old vehicle (I wasn’t).

A mechanic I spoke to urged me to buy a Toyota Yaris. “It's reliable!” Apologies to any Yaris owners, but no thanks. That's when I started seeing the Fiat 500 crop up. Some used options fit my budget; it was appropriately tiny for New York, and I loved the design. It's cute, and the 2015 model I bought through Marketplace wasn't boring black or white, but bright yellow. I've had it for several months now and wouldn't change a thing (though I think I may have to change the transmission soon).

Funnily enough, while researching, I found out that Fiat was introducing its electric Fiat 500e (8/10, WIRED Recommends) to the US market this summer. As someone with limited experience with electric vehicles, I wanted to see what the fuss was about but also, crucially, find out just how different the EV version was compared to my own Italian ICE runabout. So Fiat loaned me a black 500e model to test drive for a week. It's not bright yellow, but it's a heck of an upgrade.

Still Small, but Roomier

On the surface, it may seem a bit odd to compare a 2015 model to a 2024 car, but I reckon that's the kind of upgrade most people might be making. Also, I find it important to note that I am not a car guy. I don't review cars—we have people who do that—so I'm coming at this from an average consumer's perspective. The first thing I noticed as I hopped into the Fiat 500e was the space.