[Kozlo]

I like that it's UL listed, but 2100 Joules seems pretty low, especially considering the car seems a bit sensitive: Nobody is reporting other items fried in the house, when their car goes out, although maybe they have protection on all the other sensitive items.

I've been using this 4500 Joule one (click here) for nearly a year & a half now.

A little off topic now shredder but a quick peek at Reddit about surge protectors and EVs using level 1 chargers, someone over there saying that to have a surge protector on a GFCI outlet causes “confusion” in the electrical current and could cause catastrophic results. Just a thought. My surge protector is on a “normal”/non GFCI plug. Maybe that’s the issue?

 

[Electric Tire Shredder]

Fortunately no physics is needed: Your TV & computer are likely your most delicate items. If everything else is slightly more robust than the 500e, then a moderate surge could fry only the car.

For example, if...:

• The surge protectors on your TV & computer can handle a "level 9" surge.
• Everything else in your home can handle a "level 6" surge even without any protection at all.
• A 500e can handle level 4, but fries in a level 5.

Then a level 5 surge will fry only the Fiat. It would have fried the TV & computer, but they were protected.

 

[Electric Tire Shredder]

..someone over there saying that...

I'm using a non-GFCI outlet. I haven't seen any reports of issues caused by surge protectors, but maybe GFCI makes for a bad combo.

I'm not going to recommend switching from a GFCI outlet to a standard one, but if that's required for surge protection I would do it, because I've seen ~twenty 500Es fail while home charging without surge protection.

 

[SaltyPeanuts]

Why are you considering a 500e? Outside of the electric factor- which I do like personally, it's not a great car otherwise and is missing a slew of basic safety features present in today's most basic entry-level cars sold on the market- such as lane keep, adaptive cruise control, accident avoidance, over-the-air updates, and the list goes on. The 2016 model, which I used to own, and is basically the same as the first year 2013 release, is also missing the reverse camera, which nowadays is mandatory safety equipment by law. A lot of competing manufacturers put them in to their cars prior to 2016 but Fiat waited until 2017 when it was required- unimaginable for an electric car. They also never improved the car year-after-year like other competing manufacturers, so you're getting the same technology as the 2013 initial release when you buy it today in 2024. So this is over a decade obsolete electric car.

These are prior lease vehicles, driven hard, probably pedal to the floor. People raced them in traffic when it was never a racing vehicle to begin with. The battery suffers when it's raced like this.

For reference I've done 40 mile, mostly highway, round trips in a 2016 500e (approx 30K miles odometer), and that drained the battery down to 40% remaining in cold weather, and 55-60% in warm weather. In cold weather I usually refrained from using the heater, to avoid more battery drain. Now if you drain below half battery then that means you can't turn around mid-trip and you're ability to do detours is compromised. You're really not supposed to excessively drain the battery on an electric vehicle because doing so damages it.

The car has long-standing issues and technical glitches never addressed by the manufacturer:

• warning lights coming on unexpectantly and taking the cruise-control off line. It seems to happen across the board to everyone at some point. Why it does it and why it hasn't been fixed by Fiat is unexplained.
• weird regen braking issues with sudden jolts between the transition from regen to physical braking at low speeds. Tends to happen when you start driving then goes away later. Also never addressed. You would think a problem with brakes would be addressed. Tesla, Ford, Honda, Toyota, etc. would address any issue with their brakes; Fiat seems to think otherwise.
• "optional" U69 recall that if not addressed by prior or current owners will eventually brick the car when the 12V battery dies. Why it's not a mandatory recall eludes me.
• The overall lack of updates in general, especially regarding the software glitches, and weird braking, is unacceptable and the reason I won't be buying a 2nd gen 500e or any other Fiat related brand for that matter.

Going back to my original point- if you want a cheap Fiat just buy as gas 500 and call it a day. It is safer by 2024 safety standards, incorporating may more safety equipment than the 1st gen 500e ever did, and is at least several times better range (in the hundreds of miles) and faster to refuel.

 

[Kozlo]

Thanks, genuinely. Shredder and I are in here quaffing the kool aid obviously. Yes it has issues, yes, my car makes me question what the bleep the previous owner did to her - random things that needed fixed/tightened/replaced with 14k on the clock. But honestly, I’ve driven boring Asian cars my whole life and this little thing fits my commute and needs. I was originally perusing Abarths when I fell down this hole. But at the end of the day it’s my own slice of Doug Demuro “quirks and features”. It may not be the best, but it’ll definitely be one you won’t forget.

 

[Electric Tire Shredder]

It is by far my favorite daily car of all time, & that list includes an MR2 Spyder, a 5-speed V8 240Z with a Torsen diff, & a little V8 Jeep Wrangler stickshift, among other lesser vehicles.

I don't know how many other cars require SO little maintenance, cost SO little to run, AND have 99% of failures fixed with a few taps on a $49 phone app connected with a $45 cable.

 

[Electric Tire Shredder]

I've seen no evidence of battery "suffering" from my own lead foot or others', nor from draining it low: I drove one that got fully charged & drained every weekday, with 95,000 miles, & it got the same miles per charge as mine. It had been lowered, which does improve range, but my takeaway on that was if I ever need more range I just have to lower it .

If the brakes grab a bit on the transition, you can reprogram it with that same app & cable mentioned above.

A $30 BM2 prevents nearly all the glitches, as well as the U69 issue, which doesn't even make any difference if you drive it frequently.

Nearly all other glitches are prevented by just leaving the humidity sensor unplugged. Its sole purpose is to avoid the need to tap the 1-touch defrost button yourself .

The extreme few remaining glitches are fixed by just turning it off & back on, or with a few taps on a phone app, as noted above, &/or a pair of pliers to disconnect the battry for 5 minutes.

 

[ronmcentralca]

I have a 2014 with 99,000 miles on it. I get an honest 100-80 "around town" miles on it depending on the outdoor temperature and my driving style. Should be fine for what you describe. Haggle on that price tho.

 

[JOHNAVATAR.com]

I would recommend at least a 2017. 2016 does not have Bluetooth audio & odd TomTom device, as 2017 Bluetooth for audio/music system was added & flat panel display in dash... MUCH BETTER! 2016 to hear music you have to use USB hardwire to smartphone to hear music from smartphone.

 

[Electric Tire Shredder]

Ok, but for 2013-15 you can add an aftermarket screen with Bluetooth music from your phone, & then charging the car still works fine.

For 2016-19 when the screen fails or if you upgrade it, then sometimes the car won't charge because you can't deactivate the car's charge-preventing timer without also adding the My500e.com app & annual service.