The first Fiat Grande Panda electric cars are hitting the roads. In Italy alone, 1,082 units were registered in June 2025. New owners can finally get behind the wheel and discover the little electric SUV from the Italian brand.
But for one of them, the first experience was... mixed. Member of the Facebook group Auto Elettriche Club Italiahe says:
"I bought the new Grande Panda E... First freeway journey (first electric car), about 160 km range. Is this normal?"
Why does range drop so much on freeways?
On paper, the Fiat The Grande Panda Electric boasts a WLTP range of 320 km. This figure was obtained during tests in mixed conditions, with a moderate average speed and energy recovery phases during braking. In reality, you can expect a range of just under 300 km under normal driving conditions.
But on the freeway, the scenario changes completely. As with all electric cars, the higher the speed, the faster the increase in fuel consumption. Unlike combustion engines, which can sometimes consume less at constant speed, an electric car's range melts away on the fast lane. Aerodynamic resistance becomes a major factor: the faster you drive, the more resistance the air offers, and the greater the strain on the battery.
With its 44 kWh battery - a modest capacity compared with more long-distance-oriented models - and a silhouette not really cut out for aerodynamics, the electric Grande Panda is not in the best conditions to shine on the freeway. As a result, 160 km of range at 120-130 km/h remains perfectly coherent... even if this figure may seem low for a driver accustomed to petrol or diesel.
What manufacturers are doing to improve range
Brands are working hard on this problem. For example, the DS N8 Long Range, also from the Stellantis group, claims over 500 km on freeways at a constant speed of 120 km/h, thanks to optimized aerodynamics and a larger battery. Stellantis has even patents a gearbox for electric carsThe aim is to improve autonomy on the freeway.
Tips for owners
For long-distance use, the best tip is... to ease off the throttle. Going from 130 km/h to 110 km/h can already bring a significant gain in range. This allows you to space out recharging and travel more serenely, especially with a small battery. But the electric Fiat Grande Panda is primarily intended for urban and suburban use.
What's more, the unlucky owner of the electric Fiat Grande Panda also suffered a puncture on this first trip. An incident obviously unrelated to the car itself, but which didn't help make this motorway baptism any more enjoyable. Let's hope the next trip goes better.
English 
French 
Italian 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
German 
Japanese 
Turkish 
Dutch
I've owned EV's for 7 years. All of them have reduced range at motorway way speeds, but that drop does seem excessive, I don't think the GP BEV is very efficient outside of city driving, same is true of e-C3. You do have to adjust your driving style somewhat in EVs, but for me I'd never go back to ICE
You have to drag yourself along at 110 km/h on the freeway, not turn on the air conditioning or heating too much, plan your journey, and stop often to recharge. Electric cars and long journeys don't go together.
As it is, for this model without an instantaneous consumption indicator and planner, and with a small battery (the DS8's is almost 100kWh), I recommend using an OBD2 dongle linked to ABRP via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Otherwise, it's simply not viable and causes a great deal of stress.
it's incredible not to have the consumption. I was surprised when I tried out the Grande Panda. I was told it would come with a future update, but I don't know if that's the case today.
That's around 25 kWh per 100km on the freeway at 130. This is to be expected, given the truck's cx and its abysmal efficiency gap with Tesla (Kia and Hyundai are not bad, but at German premium prices).
A few thousand euros more for electric cars makes the difference between a car for limited use and low efficiency, and a high-performance, efficient car designed for long, comfortable motorway journeys.
What you save when you buy it, you often pay when you use it.
He should have gone for a hybrid version, even if it meant waiting for delivery.