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Fiat 500e recalled over possible half shaft separation

The recently launched, all-electric Fiat 500e is already facing its first recall. According to The Detroit News, more than 270 of the EVs are being recalled to replace bolts that secure the vehicles' half shafts. The official number of affected vehicles has not been announced as of this writing, as Chrysler will not inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of this issue until it accounts for all problematic 500e models that are currently sitting on dealer lots.
Chrysler confirmed to the News that the problem is in no way related to the 500e's electric powertrain, simply the half shafts. The automaker launched an investigation into this problem after learning that a customer's vehicle experienced power loss. Engineers reportedly found that two assembly steps had not been completed, and that this could lead to half shaft separation.
No injuries or accidents related to this problem have been reported. Chrysler will contact owners of the affected 500e models, who will receive rental vehicles while their Fiats are being fixed. Of course, all repair work will be completed free of charge.

2024 Fiat 500e U.S. specs and pricing revealed

After announcing it would bring the electric 500e to the U.S., Fiat has finally revealed pricing and specifications for the American version. It's not quite the value proposition as it is in Europe, but it will still deliver superb styling with some advantages in range and weight over current competitors. As far as design and performance, the American 500e is effectively identical to the European version. It has the same single front motor making 118 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque paired with a 42-kWh battery pack. Range is lower than for Europe, but this is certainly a result of the EPA testing procedure. As such it returns 149 miles on a charge, which is identical to the base Leaf S. It's also better by 35 miles than the current Mini Cooper SE. The Fiat also boasts faster 85-kW DC charging than the Nissan and Mini, and unlike the Nissan, the Fiat has liquid-cooled batteries (which helps keep range and charging more consistent and is good for battery longevity). Fiat claims the 500e will charge to 80% in 35 minutes. Suspension uses MacPherson struts up front and a torsion-beam setup for the rear. Braking duty is split between front discs and rear drums. At just 2,952 pounds, close to 200 pounds less than the Mini and more than 500 pounds less than the Nissan. Only one version of the Fiat will be available at launch, the 500e RED, which is a special edition collaboration with the RED charity that raises money to combat AIDS. So a portion of the purchase goes to that program, like all RED products. It's also, naturally, only available in a bright red paint scheme with matching interior accents. It comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.25-inch infotainment screen, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, manually adjustable seats, automatic climate control, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. A level 2 home charger or public charger credits are included, too, all at the 500e RED's base price of $34,095 (including $1,595 destination charge). That makes it a little more than $2,000 more expensive than the base Mini Cooper SE and more than $4,000 more expensive than the Nissan Leaf S. It goes on sale in the first quarter of next year. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Meet the Greenest and Meanest vehicles of 2016

If you've been keeping track, you won't be surprised with the number one entry in this year's list of greenest cars from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In fact, the top three spots on the 2016 list are all the same as they were in 2015. After that, things get interesting. For one thing, this is the first Greenest list that doesn't have any purely internal combustion engine powertrain on it. Hybrids, yes, but if you want to be one of the top 12 greenest cars this year, you'd better have some sort of electric angle. ACEEE says that the conventional, gas-powered Smart Fortwo and Chevrolet Spark just missed the cut. In a statement, ACEEE lead vehicle analyst Shruti Vaidyanathan said, "The 2016 scores are in, and plug-in electric vehicles are outpacing all other vehicle offerings in terms of environmental friendliness." Like last year, one of the noticeable vehicles missing from the green list is the Tesla Model S. One reason? ACEEE takes curb weight into account (lighter is better), and the Model S is a heavy beast. The ACEEE doesn't just look at the clean side of the ledger. It also puts out a "meanest" list. These are the vehicles that pollute the most, not only from their tailpipes, but also any pollution created during the entire manufacturing process, from mining the raw materials to the energy used to produce the vehicle at the factory. The entire list, from greenest to meanest, is done using a "cradle to grave" analysis. You can see how the ACEEE determines its rankings here, explore the entire greenest cars site here, or click through our galleries to see which vehicles are extra green (above) or extra mean (below) this year. 12: Mercedes-Benz GL550 4MATIC View 12 Photos More Electric Cars than Ever on Greenest Vehicles List Electric Vehicles Nab 9 out of Top 12 Spots in ACEEE's Environmental Vehicle Rankings Washington, DC: Despite a tumultuous year for the automotive industry, manufacturers have continued to offer exciting technology options for a growing vehicle market. Today at greenercars.org, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its 19th annual comprehensive environmental ratings for vehicles. The following vehicles comprise the Greenest List for 2016: Greenest Score 1. Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo Electric Drive Convertible / Coupe 63 2. Chevrolet Spark EV 63 3. Fiat 500E 62 4. Toyota Prius Eco 61 5. Volkswagen E-Golf 61 6. Nissan Leaf S / Leaf SV 61 7. Kia Soul Electric 59 8.