After nearly four years on sale in Europe, Fiat’s brand-new 500e is headed to North America.
If you’re talking value for money, the $34,095 2024 Fiat 500e seems pricey at first glance. When the brand launched the previous generation a decade ago, however, it was just as expensive, without taking inflation into account. And this new Fiat 500e is much more car than the old one, which is finally making its way to the U.S. after its initial European launch back in 2020. Not only is this car slightly larger, but it also offers more tech (as you’d expect), more power and better range by way of a substantially larger battery pack.
The 2024 Fiat 500e is unmistakably linked to its predecessor, which in turn drew heavy inspiration from the 1950s original. That said, the new car gets a more distinctive front end by way of separate daytime running lights in the hood, as well as “500” in large script across the front end. In profile, it’s still pretty familiar to the past 500 that launched back in 2007, though this car is taller (66.3 inches, to be exact), has flush door handles, new wheel designs and larger, more upright taillights.
How does performance and range stack up?
On size, price and performance, the 2024 Fiat 500e’s direct rival is the current Mini Cooper SE. Thanks to a larger 42-kWh battery pack, this new model boasts 149 miles of total range. That still places it in city car territory, but still an improvement on the Mini and a massive upgrade on the old 500e. However, the Fiat makes the same amount of power as it does over in Europe, meaning that single electric motor only delivers 118 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. That’s still enough to zip around town, but the Mini Cooper SE is still much quicker (not to mention other EVs). The automaker claims a 0-60 time of about 8.5 seconds.
At just 2,952 pounds, the 2024 Fiat 500e can and does boast being a lightweight EV, and it packs 85-kW DC fast charging capability. That’s not mind-blowing giving the context of far more expensive EVs, but the pack’s size means it can still charge from 10% to 80% in about 35 minutes, which is something the Mini Cooper SE and Nissan Leaf can’t do (both those EVs are capped at 50 kW). While most of the industry is switching over to the Tesla-style NACS connector, it’s also worth noting Stellantis is still holding out on that front, so the 2024 Fiat 500e still uses a CCS port, at least for now.
Why can’t I buy any other 500e than the (RED) edition?
With the old 500’s demise along with the rest of Fiat’s former lineup including the 500X crossover, you’d think the new 500e would come back with a host of options to broaden its appeal. Stellantis decided to go a different route, though: You’ll notice the new model is only available in the (RED) edition. You’ve probably seen that with the automaker’s other products (like the Ram 1500) as well as some versions of the iPhone, as the RED charity partners with certain brands to raise money to tackle the AIDS epidemic. Other versions will “drop” later — taking a leaf out of the fashion and tech industries’ playbooks — but this is the first 500e hitting American shores from Italy.
To that end, the 2024 Fiat 500e (RED) packs special 17-inch alloy wheels as well as a red paint scheme (naturally). You also get a 10.25-inch infotainment display, a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as wireless phone charging capability. The 500e also comes well-equipped with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist, though it does only get manually adjustable seats, presumably as both a weight and cost-saving measure.
If that $34,095 price tag still smacks a bit expensive, Fiat does throw in a level 2 home charger or public charging credits in the price as well, to take some of the bite out of the initial purchase. At its current pricing, it is about $2,000 pricier than the soon-to-be-replaced Mini and $4,000 more than the relatively utilitarian Nissan Leaf S. For an Italian-built (this is actually built in Turin, unlike the old 500) hatchback with a bit of styling flair, the price might just be worth it for the trendier types Fiat is targeting here.
The 2024 Fiat 500e will go on sale in the first quarter of next year, with other versions to follow in the subsequent months. Stay tuned for those!
