Automotive Design and Production

JUN 2013

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AD&P; > June 2013 > FEATURE > Five Things About the Fiat 500e > Gary S. Vasilash > gsv@autofeldguide.com THINGS ABOUT THE FIAT 500e Fiat is bringing a little more environmentally responsible fun to its lineup, an electric-powered 500. by Gary S. Vasilash > Editor-In-Chief 48 1 The Little Things Matter. A Lot. Although the Fiat 500e closely resembles the gasoline-powered version, the designers and engineers took the original into the wind tunnel at the Chrysler Auburn Hills facility. The wind tunnel features a 12-blade, 26-ft diameter fan that is powered by a 4,730-hp electric motor (of course) that is capable of generating wind speeds up to 150 mph. As a result of the testing, modifcations made to the 500 to make it a 500e included sealing the front fascia and optimizing its overall design; providing fush-profle 15-in. wheels; redesigning the mirror caps; putting belly pans on the underside of the vehicle; redesigning the rear fascia to reduce drag; integrating a spoiler on the lift-gate. This brings the coefcient of drag down to 0.311 compared with the 0.359 Cd of the 500 Lounge model. From a purely aesthetic point of view, Nick Malachowski, lead designer for the 500e, points to small circular dimples and holes that adorn the body panels and interior surfaces. He said that when he approached the car, he did so knowing that the EV market is new and that the vocabulary for an EV should be diferent than the one used for cars with internal combustion engines. So rather than looking at other cars, he looked at things like watches and furniture for inspiration. And even works of 20th century modern art: the dot pattern, Malachowski says, are also a reference to the works of Roy Lichtenstein.

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