Stellantis is relaunching the Fiat 500e in the U.S. car market, marking the first time the company has launched a fully electric vehicle in North America since its inception in the 2021 Fiat Chrysler and French PSA Group merger.
The urban-friendly hatchback, last produced in 2019, is scheduled to launch in early 2023, with an initial price tag of $34,095. The 2024 Fiat 500e has an estimated range of 149 miles and is powered by a 42 kWh battery. Due to its limited size and power, the vehicle is not compatible with DC fast chargers. The car also comes with a unique “Acoustic Vehicle Alert System.” This substitutes the typical low-speed warning sound EVs are required to play (to ensure pedestrians are aware of their presence despite the lack of a loud engine) with music written by composers Flavio Ibba and Marco Gualdi.
According to Stellantis, the 3,000 lbs Fiat 500e is also the lightest passenger EV on the market. While this is unlikely to win or deter many buyers, a common criticism of electric vehicles is their comparative heaviness, caused by the weight of the massive battery packs needed to sustain hundreds of miles of range.
Although Stellantis has launched several hybrids in the U.S., the Fiat 500e will be its first fully electric model available to American consumers. The car manufacturer has shown more caution than some of its competitors toward both the EV market and the automotive industry’s electrification ambitions, with CEO Carlos Tavares frequently expressing doubts about the feasibility of a rapid electric vehicle transition.
Nevertheless, the company has made significant investments into battery facilities over the last two years, primarily in the U.S., where EV tax credit eligibility depends on the ratio of foreign to domestic components within each model. The decision to enter the U.S. EV market is also timely, given the Biden Administration’s recent revisions to incentive qualifications and the Environmental Protection Agency’s newly proposed emissions guidelines. However, it has yet to be determined if the Fiat 500e will qualify for any federal credits when it launches next year.
