Fiat’s 500e has finally landed in America, three years after first appearing in European showrooms and five years after its predecessor was last seen in the U.S. The tiny two-door goes on sale in early 2024 and will cost $34,095 including destination, which makes it over $3,000 more expensive than the soon-departing Mini Cooper Electric, and almost $5,000 pricier than a Nissan Leaf.
The 500e has style on its side, though, as well as the scales. Fiat claims a curb weight of just over 3,000 lbs (1,361 kg) makes it the lightest passenger BEV on sale, a fact that no doubt helps it make the most of its modest 42 kWh battery pack, Stellantis having opted not to bring Europe’s entry-level 24 kWh battery across the Atlantic. The old-generation 500e from 2019 could only manage a feeble 84 miles (135 km) between charges – a figure not far off from what some PHEVs can deliver today – but the new car almost doubles the range to an EPA-estimated 149 miles (240 km).
Hook it up to an 85 kW DC charger and you can fill the battery from 0-80 percent in around 35 minutes, or to 100 percent in 4.25 hours using a Level 2 (11kW) charge point. Haven’t got a charge point? Fiat has you covered because it’s giving every buyer the choice of a free home charger or charge credits through Free2Move Charge.
Driven: The Fiat 500e Is A Charming And Easy-Going Urban EV
A single electric motor in the nose sends 117 hp (119 PS / 87 kW) and 162 lb-ft (220 lb-ft) to the front wheels in the sportiest of the available drive modes, which translates to an 8.5-second zero to 60 mph (97 kmh) time. But drivers looking to maximize range can engage Sherpa mode to reduce the power output to 76 hp (78 PS / 57 kW) and limit the top speed to 50 mph (80 kmh).
Other modes designed to make the most of the battery and suit owners’ differing driving styles include one that replicates the coasting sensation of an ICE car, and another that features a heavy regenerative braking effect allowing it to be driven with just one pedal.
Though the 500e looks like the old model given a set of split headlights and flush-fit door handles to freshen it up, it’s actually an entirely new car built around a dedicated EV platform. The stylish interior still features a body-color dash panel that riffs on the 1950s original and adds a digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, and much more luxurious materials than the last 500 used. It looks fun, though whether the digital tune the car “sings” to you as a greeting will still be fun after the 2,000th listen, we don’t yet know.
Unlike the old electric 500, which was only sold in California and Oregon to satisfy green regulations, the new model will be available throughout the U.S. Buyers don’t even need to go to a dealer to pick one up, instead placing their order through the Fiat Live Store. The first cars to arrive are the 500e RED Edition, which gets – surprise, surprise – red paint plus 17-inch diamond cut alloys and will send a charitable donation from Fiat to RED’s causes at the point of order. Other models will follow but Fiat hasn’t revealed them yet.
