2024 Fiat 500e Goes Upmarket as Electric Compact Middle Child
Competes with: Chevrolet Bolt EV, Mini SE Hardtop, Nissan Leaf
Looks like: The old, uh, New 500 with designer clothes
Powertrain: 118-horsepower, single front-mounted electric motor and 42-kilowatt-hour battery; front-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: First quarter of 2024
Fiat’s rollout of the second-generation 500e spans quite the timeline. The European market’s version of the redesigned, pint-sized city electric vehicle made its debut in early 2020 around the same time the last-gen 500 left our shores. Confirmation we’d get a version of our own didn’t come until late 2022, when a pair of pre-production models landed at that year’s Los Angeles Auto Show with an expected U.S. market arrival sometime in 2024.
Related: All-Electric Fiat 500e Debuts in L.A., U.S. Arrival Slated for 2024
Fiat made good on that promise with the federalized 2024 Fiat 500e, set to fill Fiat dealers in early ‘24 alongside the longstanding 500X SUV — the only other Fiat available stateside.
Small Size, Big Style
If you liked the look of Europe’s freshened 500e, we have good news. Much like the original rollout of the New 500 for the 2012 model year, the 2024 500e is nearly identical to the car that was shown in 2020. This includes the new 500e’s charming retro-chic styling (and proportions) that is now markedly modernized and sleekened for the new generation, incorporating additional stylistic touches and lighting accents all aimed at pushing the cutesy hatch further upmarket.
The 500e’s newish duds still present as fresh despite being nearly four years old. LED lighting and a detail-rich grille are complemented by aerodynamic body trim and 17-inch wheels. Look for little characterful touches scattered around the exterior, including recessed electric “e-latch” door handles and a small Italian flag in the side turn signals.
Interior Couture
Though stylish, the last-gen 500’s glossy plastic-fantastic cockpit was a sore sight in its twilight years, and we reckon the 2024 500e’s measured, modernist environment is the most significant aesthetic upgrade in comparison. Materials appear much improved, with textured trim and subtler hues contributing to the 500’s upmarket climb.
A 10.25-inch center infotainment screen carries the latest iteration of Uconnect 5 with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it’s matched by a round, fully digital 7-inch gauge cluster — a design flair Fiat says pays homage to the original 1957 500.
The 500e kicks off its North American tour with the aptly-named (Red) Edition, which offers a level of standard equipment expected of a higher trim. As such, both the (Red) Edition and forthcoming, well-equipped 500es wear a collection of niceties including automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, wireless device charging, keyless entry and lane departure steering assist.
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Powertrain
Like its European counterpart, the U.S.-market 500e zips through cityscapes with a single front-mounted electric motor and a 42-kilowatt-hour battery pack, a combination yielding 118 hp and 162 pounds-feet of torque. Fiat claims an EPA-estimated range of 149 miles, which bests the 2024 Mini SE Hardtop’s 114 miles and matches the base 2024 Nissan Leaf’s figure. But the Fiat shines when it’s time to plug in: Its DC fast-charging rate cap of 85 kilowatts roundly zaps all competition, including even the Chevrolet Bolt EV. In practice, Fiat says that five minutes of 85-kW charging will return up to 31 miles of range, with an idealized 0%-80% quick-charge time of 35 minutes. Fiat expects a full dead-to-max charge on a standard Level 2 charger to take 4 hours, 15 minutes.
Pricing and Availability
Small size, smallish price: All 2024 Fiat 500e (Red) Editions will sticker for $34,095 (price includes $1,595 destination charge), slotting it above competitors such as the Chevrolet, Mini and Nissan, but still cheaper than larger EVs including the Volkswagen ID.4, Kia Niro EV, and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Fiat says the 500e will go on sale during the first quarter of 2024.
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