Topic: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

My wife commutes less than 15 miles each way (freeway with an HOV lane that allows free EV access), and I shuttle kid and aging parents around town mostly.  I have PLENTY of gasoline powered vehicles.

I keep thinking a plug in EV would be a goo addition. Locally, I can find ads for used Fiat 500 EV and Kia Soul EV for under $10K

Anyone own either of these vehicles and have anything negative (or positive) to say about them?

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Don't have either but if a Spark EV pops up...grab it.  Terrible gas powered car but pretty decent EV and I think that were almost all lease vehicles with about 80% in California.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

If you can stand driving about the ugliest car ever,
used Leaf are going pretty cheap these days, with reduced range, but 50 miles is plenty for you it seems.
Here is one for $5k,  https://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/d/ … 58212.html

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

I have been thinking about EVs as well. The Fiat seems to have issues, not sure what, didn't look in to them much, not many in my area. The Leaf isn't bad, but the air cooled battery doesn't do well in hot climates. Also 2013 or later is a better car, and not the base S model. the S has a resistive heater instead of the heat pump.

Apparently the Leafs (leaves?) to buy are up here in the Seattle area, moderate temps so the batteries are in good shape, and there are a lot coming off lease.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Finally was able to convince my wife to get an electric car for her morning commute so she can take the HOV lane.

We got lured in with the Fiat 500e popup ads and the Fiat USA lease terms that portrayed the total terms at about $7600 for 36 months plus taxes and tags. With Tier 1 credit rating we ended up with $9654 total paid (including taxes and tags and registration for first year) at end of lease. I think we are eligible for a $2500 State rebate because of an electric car but not positive. More importantly, we need to make sure we get the white HOV sticker. It's unclear if we can get both the hov sticker and the $2500 state rebate. Looks like there were some changes for 2018.

I would have preferred she get the Soul EV-- possibly 10% more range (not a deal breaker), way lower end-of-lease purchase price, has a Level 3 charge port whereas the Fiat only has level 1&2 capabilities. Soul has a LOT more room and 4 doors, but my wife claims it wasn''t quite as peppy as the fiat she test drove. Also, the kia is 10yrs 100K mi warranty on the full EV system (motor and speed controller, etc) whereas the fiat is only 5yr 50K mi.

But, meh, she's happy she's got a new car. I calculate we'll save about $25/wk in her fuel cost differential, $96/yr in oil changes and at least 20min a day rt in commute time. And she gets level 2 charging at her work for $1.75/hr for first 3 hours.

Still interested in reading anyone else's input and experience.

FWIW, if anyone wants to go test drive all of the different electric and hybrid vehicles that are out there, there's a used (pre-owned) car dealer in Pomona, CA (that recently moved from Anaheim) that has all the modern offerings on their lot in multiples (like 35 fiats alone, lots of Rav4s, Sparks, some teslas, and anything else mainstream off-lease you can imagine). I don't necessarily endorse them, but  certainly worth a visit if you want to see, sit in, and compare many different electric cars side by side. With the info provided, you can google them. Don't want to necessarily provide a direct link but if you want to find them you can.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Off lease Spark EV...because I want one.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

There's a 1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort) for sale in Shelton, WA, conveniently located near The Ridge, for just $1200:

https://images.craigslist.org/00Y0Y_8A46POi6CzS_600x450.jpg

https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/ … 93275.html

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

porsche 914 ev  $3k  would be my choice

https://www.ebay.com/itm/253379228484?rmvSB=true

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

We have a Leaf that I'd recommend.  We got our 2015 for less than $10k last year.  Had leased a 2014 prior.  Realistic range is closer to 50 miles at freeway speeds.

It's worth installing a level 2 charging circuit (220V 40A) at your house.  I've known folks that tried a mixture of public charging and charging at work.  You never want to be reliant on somebody else's charger being available.  I've used level 3 charging exactly once.

I just assume the car will be effectively worthless at 100k, as the battery is currently ~$5k to replace.  But the gas savings more-or-less pays for that and allows us to drive a newer, nicer car.

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http://www.perpetualdownforce.com/

10 (edited by Spank 2018-01-23 09:04 AM)

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

st_rage wrote:

allows us to drive a newer, nicer car.

This is exactly what she wanted -- a new car-- and I was feeling like I was losing that battle.  In order to get her into the cheapest option of NEW and also get some (in my eyes) practical benefits (carpool lane for her commute and some cost-of-use savings as well as the electric car experiment) is why the Fiat won out. it's "Nicer" than the Soul in her eyes. And by Nicer I mean it feels peppier, it's cuter, and it's orange, and it's not the one I wanted her to get.

Her previous commuter, a 2008 MINI Clubman, forced her to get pushed out of the Starbucks drive thru back in December after the engine bay was enveloped in a cloud of steam. Thermostat housing (more ports than an artificial heart) developed a leak. Because of an emergency out-of-town trip and that stupid plastic crossover pipe that does not pup out as easily as everyone says it does, it took me nearly a month to get it back on the road.

Once that happens or "THERE'S A LIGHT THAT KEEPS POPPING UP ON MY DASH! ZOMG!!1!1!1" (dear, it's because you didn't push the ebrake handle down all the way again and it's on your purse) she is riddled with doubt and concern and starts freaking out that she HAS to have a new car that's fully warrantied that she can just bring to the dealer whenever that dash light flashes at her when she sticks the key in showing it has dropped below 32-degrees and she can just go pull into the dealership and have them tell her "It's the car telling you to put your jacket on, it's cold out." [deep breath] The only fix is a New car.

Me, I'm happily driving around the 03 MINI I just bought for $600 that I had to replace an injector, a vacuum valve, and 2 spark plugs and we put over 200 miles on in a day to go test drive and look at a bunch of electric cars.


The Spark only has 3yr 36K mi factory warranty and they aren't making it anymore. We looked. Lots of used ones at that dealership. If the manufacturer doesn't trust the new technology, I won't.

The Leaf looks like an athletic cup or male incontinence pad with wheels

The old conversion options are attractive to me, but absolutely positively wouldn't work for her. and it's her car. that's why it was her choice. I'm just happy it's only going to be $9K or less out of pocket cost of ownership over 3 years versus just $15K in depreciation alone PLUS operating costs of a gasoline car in 3 years. And hopefully free carpool.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Spank wrote:

The old conversion options are attractive to me, but absolutely positively wouldn't work for her.

Just point out that the Jet Electrica isn't a conversion: Jet Industries manufactured them using gliders purchased from Ford. Problem solved.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

I wonder how long it would take me to drive it home to San Diego from Shelton, WA.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Whichever one she was more in favor of, that the one to get. It's not worth the arguing.

At least she shut down the Clubman. My personal favorite horror story of cooling system failure involves a friend I'll call Joe and his wife Mary.

Mary ignored the warning lights in her Miata, thus hard-seizing the engine. Joe spent the better part of a month of weekends installing a rebuilt engine. Mary complained about driving his Tundra the whole time. Two weeks after the Miata hit the road again, Mary announced she's pregnant. Bye bye Miata. Hello Prius.

Not everyone can have a wife who drives a Jag and wants a Studebaker (our discussion there is, Loewy coupe or Avanti? Think the GT Hawk is going to be the compromise smile

Tradewinds Tribesmen Racing (The road goes on forever…)
#289 1984 Corvette Z51 #124 1984 944 #110 2002 Passat
Gone but not forgotten, #427-Hong Kong Cavaliers Benz S500
IOE (Humber!) Hell on Wheels (Jaguar)

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Actually my wife does want an E-type. Well, the IDEA of having an E-type. Maybe not an actual one in the driveway.

And shed did say she likes that her Fiat sorta matches my classic Cinquecento.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

My wife wanted my Boxster that I converted to an EV.  She was also supposed to drive my 100mpg Midget because she had a long commute,
Neither of which I actually finished enough to have someone else actually drive, and she was always using my Prius.
I just bought her a 2004 BMW Z4 as a xmas present.  She loves it.   See she was thinking about a new car and payments,
and I had to kill that idea quick!  lol

http://www.alanmgross.com/pics/Skip's_BMW/Front-right%20w%20Skip%20(Small).JPG

haha, that is not my wife, and not her car, but it looks identical.

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Showing up late to this party, but I have lots to add!

The Fiat problem was related to the DC-DC converter, which converted the ~400vdc down to +12vdc to charge the 12 volt battery. These EVs and Hybrids are still using 12 vdc systems that are legacy from the manufacturers other cars, or in this case from the ICG (internal combustion engined) Fiat 500. In the early 500es's the converters were failing and the 12 vdc battery would run down and the car would not run. the computer is run from the +12 battery. So that should all me fixed with a 2017 lease 500e.

Charging, If you have an electric Dryer, you can charge from the 220 vac 2 phase. or you could wire in a separate 220/ 240 volt outlet. I wired in a NEMA L14-30 4 pin turn lock outlet to my garage area. I plug a Clipper Creek LCS-30 into that, which means I have the male L14-30 on the end of the Clipper Creek pigtail. I did this, so taht I can also use that charge adapter at friend's houses (or my house initially). I have a 6 foot standard dryer plug cord (NEMA 10-30) with a female L14-30 on it. So put the dryer cord onto the Clipper Creek and I can charge from any 220v dryer outlet. I could also build adapters for other places to plug in, like RV outlets or ?? (I have some of those plugs for my welder).

Electricity billing. Look at when you charge that car, if you can charge it overnight primarily, you can take advantage of the off peak rates, but you have to sign up for them and it might require you to enter the VIN of the car. But that can save you a fair bit of money if you charge the car everyday. Its all about thinking ahead, so if on a Saturday, you zip off to run some early morning errands, plug the car in when you get home so its more charged up for afternoon errands, and or evening outings. Keep it charged up and it becomes less stressful to use.

For other people thinking of getting an EV, there are lots of used 1-3 year old lease turn ins. Because of the laws written in California to promote EV usage, the manufacturers HAVE to sell a certain percentage of cars in CA that are hybrid or EV. To meet the "sold" quota, many are sold to their leasing companies, who, then have a glut of EVs and have to lease them. So they lease prices drop. To some very reasonable levels or really awesome levels. They havea  2nd problem when those cars get turned back in 3 years later, but that is good news for all of us. We can buy the 3 year, nicely used EVs and Hybrids for ~10-15K, which is a big decrease from the $40k asking price (minus the $9k rebates).  So shop for used Volts, Used Fiats, Used Sparks (one of the fastest accelerating EVs!), and other lease turn back cars. The 2nd generation Rav 4 EVs are sought after and hold a slightly higher value, as those have a Tesla drivetrain and battery and get ~125 mi/charge. and they have room to haul stuff.

if you have been following the EV news at all, you will see the discussion about the stickers. The Current Green (Hybrid) and White (EV) stickers expire at the end of 2018. BUT the state legislature just passed a bill extending the expire date of sticker (white) for a year or two beyond 2018, depending on when you bought/leased the car. So you might be covered until the end of 2019 or 2020/2021. And you'll get a new colored sticker in the mail, so that the CHP can distinguish the new color from the old expired green and white stickers. Sadly this mean that my 2013 Volt will no longer be allowed in the commuter lane after 2018.
And I bought mine, so its not going to be worth much more than about $8-10K in 2019. my screw up for not thinking through the changing landscape of leased EVs vs leased normal cars.

Dudes Ex Machina: https://www.facebook.com/dudesexmachina

?Everyone who has ever built anywhere a 'new heaven' first found the power thereto in his own hell- Frederick Nietzsche

17 (edited by widgetsltd 2018-01-26 09:58 PM)

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

I leased a new Chevy Bolt last March for my wife to drive on her hellish Hwy 91 commute from Corona to Costa Mesa. She's not a car person, but she loves her Bolt. We filed for - and received - both the $2500 CA clean air rebate and the white carpool/Express Lane sticker. It looks like the only recent change to those programs is the addition of an income cap; if a couple filing jointly has an annual income of $300k or greater, you can get the sticker but not the rebate. Check out these links for details:

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-s … air-decals

https://cleanvehiclerebate.org/eng/elig … guidelines

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Plymouth Neon
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Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

Oooooooooooh that Jet Electrica. That that that that that.

19 (edited by jfbeam 2018-02-14 09:41 PM)

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

mharrell wrote:

There's a 1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort)

Sure... If she likes driving around with 1ton of 6v golf cart batteries over (and beyond) the rear axle. Pluses are the five mile range, 12 hour charge cycle, 45mph maximum speed, and gasoline(!) heater. (that one still has the factory GE forklift power plant in it.)

Note: They made MANY more than 150 of those. (in the thousands)
Note2: It'll take about $20k to modernize it. (~80% being batteries.)
Note3: Put a cage in it. It's a hell of a race car... for 30min. [ https://youtu.be/9lRcd2D-iRA ]

Duff Beer Civic (#128) -- 2014 Sebring - Class B (#1 of 7), 2016 Barber - Class B
1981 Jet Electrica 007 [Plymouth Horizon TC3] (#128) -- Mk.1 - Index of Effluency Eco (IOEe) @ 2016 Lemons South Fall, Mk.2 - Judges' Choice @ 2017 'Shine Country Classic, Mk.3 - Index of Effluency @ 2017 Southern Discomfort

Re: Anyone own a FIat EV or Soul EV?

+1 on the 1981 Jet Electrica. It should either cure your wife of wanting an electric car, or turn her into an electric car enthusiast/idiot. Our team is split 50/50 between the two viewpoints.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!