All-New Fiat 500e Jumps into Crowded Market with Style

by John Faulkner | March 1, 2024

Excerpt: Fiat recently reintroduced the cute-as-a-button 500e. The new model is ready for a second run in the U.S. and may be the jumping off point for a larger return of the brand to the minds of consumers.

The “100% Electric, 100% Italian” 500e makes its return to the U.S. as part of a wave of new electrified products from parent company Stellantis. (Photo credit: John Faulkner)

Fiat describes the all-new 2024 500e that is scheduled to be on-sale at North American Fiat dealers by early Summer 2024 as “100% Electric, 100% Italian.” It will be available in all 50 states and will now only come with electric propulsion, dropping the gasoline engine completely.

The all-new 500e is longer, wider, and lighter, has a longer driving range, faster charging and the latest in audio and driver safety systems from the predecessor model that was only sold in California and couple other states from 2013 – 2019.

A New Day

Europe got its hands on the new 500e in 2020 and in the past four years it has accumulated 1 million owner miles, meaning when it hits North America it will be proven and debugged.

The cute factor was always the appeal of the 500e. With comfortable seating for two, three or four in a pinch, it became and remains the bestselling city electric vehicle. We did not have the chance to get behind the wheel at a recent press reveal event held at The Motoring Club in west Los Angeles, but if it is anything like the past version it will be zippy and fun to drive.

Fiat hopes the all-new, all-electric the 2024 500e will create a buzz with what is easily the cutest car on the road and will remain a form of automotive entertainment. Amir Ahmed, head of Fiat North America, said the “500e is the best city car you can drive,” adding later, “We don’t care if you know it is an EV because it is just a damn fine car!”

Fiat hopes the all-new, all-electric the 2024 500e will create a buzz with what is easily the cutest car on the road. (Photo credit: John Faulkner)

Driving Range and Charging

Being the lightest electric vehicle in the market will help the 500e average 149 all-electric mile range, AER. But that bumps to 162 AER in the city where Fiat says the 500e will be mostly used. The in-city range increase comes from regenerative braking, that converts kinetic energy into electric energy when applying the brakes or coasting and stores it in the battery.

The 87-kW motor puts out 118 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Fiat gives performance numbers of 0 – 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, through the front wheels and a single-speed transmission.

The 42-kWh lithium-ion battery, with an 11kW onboard charger, has estimated charge times:

0%-to-80% in 35 minutes with an 85-kW DC fast charge
0%-to-100% in four hours and 15 minutes with a Level 2 (11-kW) charging station
24 hours on a 120-volt wall plug

To help with charging, Fiat is offering all new 500e owners the choice of a home Level 2 charger (installation labor not included) or charging credits through Free2Move. As it gets closer to the on-sale date, Fiat will reveal more details on these options.

A Smiling Face

The 87-kW motor puts out 118 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. (Photo credit: John Faulkner)

The Fiat 500 lineup is all about being cool, having unmistakable Italian design and fun. Based on the iconic Cinquecento (first launched in 1957 and sold in various forms in the U.S. through 1983) the new 500 was introduced in 2012, followed by the all-electric 500e in 2013.

For 2024, the 500e is available in one trim level and only two options of either summer or all-season tires (mounted on 17-inch diamond-cut wheels), and the aforementioned charging options. The 500e has a fun face with large, round LED headlights and a mouth-like lower fascia grille. The upright design has sides that slope inward toward the roof, a raked front windshield continuing to the roof where the rear hatch is finished with a spoiler. Chrome pieces are non-existent — or unnecessary — for this very clean design. As of now a convertible 500e has not been announced.

Taking a cue from the fashion industry, and to be extra cool and hip, the Fiat 500e will have a periodic “product drop” where a limited quantity of different variants will be available for a limited time. The first drop is the 500e RED where for each sale a donation is made to the Global Fund to support life-saving prevention and treatment programs in communities most in need.

Cozy Interior

The dash is clean and basic with everything well within reach of the driver. (Photo credit: John Faulkner)

The 2024 Fiat 500e dash has a large, round gauge cluster peering from behind the classic two-spoke steering wheel, both of which harken to the original 1957 Fiat 500. The dash is clean and basic with everything well within reach of the driver including the UConnect5 10.25-inch horizontal center screen housing the audio, navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The cabin is compact, but Fiat says the 500e can be considered a “three seater” as an adult can sit in the rear seat on the passenger-side without too much trouble. In reality, it is designed for the driver and passenger who may opt to lay-down the 50:50 split rear seat and enjoy zipping around with enough storage space for in-town errands.

Pricing

The 2024 Fiat 500e has a base price of $34,095 which includes the mandatory $1,595 destination charge. The 500e does not qualify for the federal $7,500 tax credit unless it is leased.

Fiat, a 124-year-old company, is part of the 14-brand Stellantis conglomerate, sold 1.35 million vehicles worldwide last year (though only 605 in the U.S.) Having a limited presence in North America the past five years has kept it from growing that number. The reintroduction of the 500e hopes to change its fortunes.