Fiat's tiny 500e electric car is a big hit

The plug-in version of the tiny 500 turns out to be an all-around excellent car.

Bodily alterations

fiat 500e gallery

The body of the 500e was slightly modified to fit batteries that give it an EPA-estimated 87 miles of driving range. It's a little taller than a regular 500 because the floor had to be raised. That made the car less aerodynamic, so designers went into the wind tunnel to find ways to make up for that.

Side skirts reach down to keep down the space between the car and the road, a slipperier side mirror design was borrowed from the Dodge Challenger muscle car and a long rear spoiler was added. Even the underside of the car was designed to allow air to slide more easily under the car.

  @peterdrives - Last updated June 13 2013 10:38 AM ET

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