(Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional information about the vehicle’s performance and more.)
Fiat’s uncertain future in the U.S. is getting a jolt of certainty from an unlikely source: the 500e.
The subcompact battery-electric vehicle will make its return to the U.S. market in 2024, spearheading the brand’s electrification efforts in North America. The company plans to show off the final production version at the 2023 LA Auto Show.
Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO and CMO Global of Stellantis, officially announced plans to offer the fully electric Fiat 500e in North America in the first quarter of 2024. It will lead the brand’s return to the market after a multi-year absence.
“Since 1899, Fiat has played a role in developing mobility, not only delivering vehicles to the masses but also pursuing a social mission and riding the wave of ‘what’s next,'” said Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO and Global CMO Stellantis.
“Today, more than ever, we are facing a global revolution, which means that customers are looking for more than just a car and we intend to embrace their changing needs. The new 500e is more than a car, it is a social project to feed America’s appetite for change toward sustainable mobility.
Ironic choice
Industry observers may suggest the 500e was the least likely — and perhaps most ironic — choice for the Italian-based brand to make its return to North America. The 500 led the charge into the U.S. for Fiat as part of the merger (acquisition by Fiat out of bankruptcy) of Fiat and Chrysler well more than a decade ago.
While it arrived with much fanfare, it exited North America with a whimper perhaps best known at the end with the 500e frustrating then CEO Sergio Marchionne, who implored anyone who would listen not to buy it because the company lost money on each one sold.
Marchionne had to live with it because the company needed to show something because it was woefully behind other automakers in the U.S. when it came to electrification. Marchionne has since passed away, Fiat Chrysler merged with PSA Group, which has juiced up the efforts to electrify the North American market — starting with the all-new 500e … one that Marchionne likely would have appreciated.
In fact, the goal is to make sure it enjoys widespread appreciation, according to Francois. This means a 0-to-60 time of about 3 seconds, he said, and audio effects to “give the car a sound to match its smile,” adding “This new 500 was born electric.” While it may go fast, it’s not going to go quite as far, with an urban driving range of about 150 miles, he noted. However, on a Level 3 charger, drivers will be able to add 30 miles of range in just 5 minutes.
“We want to introduce America to EVs with our icon, the Fiat 500, because this is the right thing to do,” Francois noted. “On a corporate side, we need to trailblaze new pathways and it will be a privilege for our new 500 to help lead change. On the human level: it is a commitment to taking customers into the future of mobility … again.”
He noted the car will go on sale in early 2024, but the brand will begin taking reservations six months ahead of time. The first markets will include California, Florida, the Northeast as well as Michigan and Illnois.
“We’re coming to market in the U.S. not because we have to but because we want to,” he said, adding “It’s the right thing to do.”
Francois’s emotive characterization of Fiat’s role aside, the brand is looking to make its return with a splash. It commissioned three fashion design houses — Armani, Kartell and Bvlgari — to apply their vision to the little cars, hoping to whet the appetites of 500 fans who eagerly await the return of the Cinquecento as a battery-electric model.
The three vehicles will be auctioned off to raise money for environmental causes. “They show companies like ours cannot thrive without substance,” he said after their debut.
500 Girorgio Armani
The 500 Giorgio Armani features laser technology to reshape the outer metal of the car, etching it using microchevron engraving to create a two-tone effect without the use of additional paint. The result is enhanced by an Armani gray/green “silk effect” color. The opaque paint used for the exterior is a transparent top-coat activated by UV light reduces air pollutants and bacteria.
The “GA” logo on the wheels as well as the custom fabric on the retractable soft top allows for no mistake when it comes to identifying the creative force behind the one-off model. On the inside, the seats are covered in full-grain leather in “greige” with microchevron wool bands with additional embellishments.
The naturalness and authenticity of the materials is also emphasized by the sinuous and sculptural dashboard insert, covered with reconstituted open-pore wood, embellished with thin layers of aluminum inlay. The piece was inspired by the elegance and contemporaneity of the Armani/Casa line.
500 Kartell
The 500 Kartell one-off exudes the influence of the Italian industry design giant, which is focused on using sustainable plastics in its unique and unmistakable designs. The exterior features a “monoblock color” concept where different types of materials — metal, glass, rubber, plastic and fabric — are interpreted in the same color: Kartell blue, derived from Yves Klein blue, a universally recognized color iconic of the brand.
Staying close to its push for original yet sustainable plastics, Kartell used recycled polycarbonate in the production of the car’s grille, wheels and mirror caps. They inspired the one-of-a-kind design for the pattern of the Kabuki lamp as part of the motif for the 500e’s new identity. The Kabuki pattern remains the protagonist with a polycarbonate cover on the dashboard insert and transparently applied to the seats.
The contrast between the Kartell blue of the exterior and the brightness of the interior is striking, providing a clear and light environment, combining warm and cool hues. The tactile textile plastics used in the interior are 100% recycled polypropylene, just like the chairs from the latest Kartell collection. The fabrics take on a natural, cozy look, in recycled polyester.
B.500 Mai Troppo by Bvlgari
The final offering, the B.500 “Mai Troppo” came from Bvlgari, which offered its interpretation of the role the 500 played in La Dolce Vita. Known for style icon in the jewelry world, Bvlgari’s 500 is unmistakable in saffron-colored pearlescent paint inspired by “the chromatic variegation of Roman sunsets.”
The “saffron” paint emphasizes the character of the car as a “jewel”, based on the inclusion of gold powder, recovered from the scraps of jewelry production. The result: an environmentally friendly car, resplendent in its own light.
The wheels also feature black lacquer with gold trim and a side “jewel” badge in polished gold, with a diamond-paved B.500 logo. The philosophy of re-use continues in the interiors, with a dashboard fascia made elegant by its upholstery with heritage Bvlgari silk scarves of the past.
The seats are leather with “Diva” pattern embroidery, gold details and scarf inserts. The true jewel of the interior are three semi-precious stones, amethyst, topaz and citrine, set in a removable brooch, made by the master goldsmiths at Bvlgari and placed in the center of the steering wheel.