Fiat 500 electric: when can the battery fail and how much does it cost to replace it?

Despite a complicated year in 2024, the electric vehicles are gaining in popularity, but they bring their own set of questions, especially concerning the cost of replacing the key component: the battery. Although battery failures are rare, they do occur with all brands. The Croatian company EV Clinica specialist in the repair of electric vehicles, has turned its attention to the case of the electric Fiat 500an emblematic model, but not without its critics.

Astronomical battery costs

Fiat 500 electric battery. Photo EV Clinic.

According to EV Clinicreplacing a faulty battery on an electric Fiat 500 can cost up to 13 000 €more than half the price of a new Fiat 500 RED (€33,900) equipped with its 42.24 kWh battery. This rate, charged by Stellantis, probably includes significant margins, as battery manufacturing costs tend to fall over time. In comparison, Tesla Model S and X batteries cost around 18 000 €while those of the Model 3 and Y are around 16 000 €. The most extreme case is that of the Volkswagen eGolf, whose battery can reach 38 000 €.

Advertising

Obstacles encountered by repairers

Apart from the high cost, EV Clinic highlights the challenges posed by the electronic systems of Stellantis vehicles, in particular the SGW (Security Gateway)which prevents unauthorized repairers from diagnosing and repairing faults. This policy limits the alternatives to authorized centers, which are often costly and not readily available. In one concrete example, a Fiat 500e owner had to wait two months to solve a battery-related software problem, requiring expensive specific tools and specialized expertise.

This complexity detracts from the ownership experience, making electric Fiat maintenance stressful and inflexible, especially after the warranty expires. We're glad to hear it, Fiat offers a guarantee of 8 years or 160,000 km on its batteries, and most of the failures observed by EV Clinicoccur between 5,000 and 50,000 km.

Advertising

Repairability, a key criterion

One of the main lessons shared by EV Clinic is the importance of battery reparability. Unlike some models where replacement of the entire battery is necessary, others, such as Tesla, only allow replacement of faulty components (cells, electronics, etc.), which considerably reduces costs and environmental impact.

Fiat 500 electric: "one of Europe's best small electric cars".

Battery problems on the electric Fiat 500 are not necessarily due to a major design flaw, but to complex interactions between software and hardware components. These include non-resettable errors and excessive safety protocols. Despite all this, the Fiat 500 electric remains a model appreciated for its performance and design, and EV Clinic underlines that it is one of Europe's best small electricsfar ahead of the Smart 453 and Volkswagen eUp.

Advertising

Beyond the case of the Fiat 500, testimonials from EV Clinic illustrate a wider problem in Europe's electric vehicle industry: The complexity of systems, high repair costs and restrictive manufacturing practices all undermine consumer confidence. If these trends don't change, we could see a proliferation of faulty electric vehicles that are difficult to repair, creating a major problem on a massive scale.

4 Comments

Leave a Reply
  1. The Sgw system has been fitted to all Fca group cars since 2019, which means you can't use a non-Fiat-approved suitcase; you have to buy an additional box.

  2. After 2 years of using the 500e, it's obvious that it's a real joy to drive, in every respect. It's always there to make my life easier, whether it's freezing or too hot, in traffic jams or at the supermarket, it's always there to help me and make my life easier, always in a good mood with its cute little face.
    In comparison, my petrol alfas are beautiful, but often a pain, they don't have that ubiquitous pleasure. To replace it, if the 600e had been an extended 500e, it would have been a big yes, but now it'll surely be a junior, but backwards. So yes, the 280hp is very tempting, but if the more reasonable 156hp is just a clone of the 2008/moka/ds/jeep, it'll just be waiting for the next one.

  3. When I had a defective charger, that worry was in the back of my mind. But now having purchased a good charger, my 500e is fun and reliable.

  4. 街乗りで、楽しく、乗ってます。充電は、自宅充電のみ。高速での充電は手前掛かりすぎて、ドライブが楽しめない。
    操作の画面が見にくすぎる。高速道路インターでの高速充電はせめて1回一時間使用可能に、するべき。

    フィアットの走りはヨーロッパ車レベル。
    確りクリアーできているので、満足出来る。

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *