Athens Goes Electric with Fiat's Fab Fuzz
Image Credit: Stellantis.
Isn't this just the cutest thing you have ever seen? Ten little electric Fiat 500e city slickers, all dressed up in their finest police blues, ready to zip around the ancient streets of Athens! Honestly, who knew fighting crime could look so adorable?
Police cruisers around the world go from hulking great SUVs that look like they could swallow a Smart car whole, to sleek, high-performance machines built for catching the naughtiest of speed demons. But this? This is a whole new level of charming. These 500 in Police suits look like cartoon characters with a badge and flashing lights. I half expect them to politely ask the perpetrators to pull over for a nice chat and perhaps a spot of afternoon tea.
Image Credit: Stellantis.
These ten little bundles of electric joy were a gift from the Public Electric Power Corporation – or DEI as they like to call themselves. Hold on a minute. DEI? In my world, that usually stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which is all very important, mind you. But in this case, it seems to be more about making sure these little crime-fighting beans have enough juice in their batteries to chase down… Actually, probably not much at their top speed. DEI also threw in 36 charging stations, and you've got to admire that commitment to keeping the fuzz fully charged!
Crisp white paint job, jazzy iridescent blue decals – all very chic. Topped off with the obligatory flashing strobe lights, so everyone knows when the party's arriving. Though, with those oh-so-basic hubcaps, it's clear they opted for the sensible, no-frills version. No fancy "La Prima" bells and whistles here. Just pure electric policing on a budget.
Image Credit: Stellantis.
But it actually gets a little quirky – and I do love a bit of quirk. They went for the Fiat 500e 3+1. That means there's a sneaky little rear-hinged door on just one side. Fiat originally designed this for families wrestling with toddlers and their paraphernalia. But the Greek police? They might find it rather handy for persuading the less cooperative members of society into the backseat. Though I do picture a bit of a squeeze getting anyone larger than a squirrel into that tiny rear compartment. I guess it adds a certain intimacy to the arrest…
Under the hood, these little crime fighters pack a modest 117 horsepower and a respectable 162 pound-feet of torque (or 220 Nm for the metric crowd). That translates to a zero to sixty-two sprint in a leisurely nine seconds. No, they're not going to be winning any drag races against those souped-up hot hatches the Greek highway patrol has, but for zipping through the Athenian traffic, it should be just dandy. Though, a little Abarth version in the fleet would have added some real oomph. Just imagine the sirens wailing as a tiny EV chases down a runaway scooter!
Image Credit: Stellantis.
Range anxiety is the bane of any EV driver's existence, but these little troopers boast a WLTP range of 199 miles on a single charge (or a rather optimistic 286 miles if you stick purely to city driving). I've put the standard 500e through its paces, and in the real world, you're probably looking at something closer to 160 miles, but for patrolling the city center, that should be more than enough to keep the officers on the beat without constantly hunting for a plug.
Interestingly enough, these Fiat 500e police cars aren't even the smallest or the slowest members of the Greek police fleet. That honor belongs to the Citroen Ami, a heavy quadricycle that's been buzzing around the island of Chalki. So, our little Fiats are practically speed demons in comparison! The Greek police also have a whole medley of other vehicles, from sensible Seat Leons and Hyundai i30s to more substantial Nissan Qashqais and Skoda Octavias. They even have some proper hoots like the Hyundai i30 N and Cupra Leon VZ for when things get a bit Fast and Furious.
Image Credit: Stellantis.
Despite being Fiat's electric darling, the 500e hasn't exactly set the sales charts on fire. So, Fiat is doing a bit of a pivot, bringing back a mild-hybrid version later this year and planning a new generation for 2032. It seems even the most enthusiastic embrace of electric power sometimes needs a little conventional encouragement.
But you know what? I rather like the idea of these little electric Fiats keeping the peace in Athens. They're nippy, they're green(ish), and they're undeniably charming. They prove that you don't need a massive, gas-guzzling behemoth to keep the streets safe. Sometimes, all you need is a bit of Italian flair, a dash of electric power, and a whole lot of adorable determination.
