Cute, cheap, and cheerful, Stellantis made the call to revitalize Fiat showrooms and give Americans a taste of its critically acclaimed small electric car – the Fiat 500e. Of course, there are big questions about the 500e’s range, size, and price, but Fiat’s pretty confident that it’s got a secret hit on its hands.
This week I’ll be flying to sunny, post-spring break Miami, to tootle around in what is probably the Fiat 500e’s most ideal environment – a super urban, chic downtown space full of designer stores, adjacent to one of the best beaches in the United States. The 500e targets those in search of a nice-feeling second companion car to pop into the shops, work, and more.
We really do mean a second car here. The 500e’s 42kWh battery is only rated for 149 miles of range, not exactly a cross-country marathon runner. Heck, at a base price of $34,095 (including destination), a Volvo EX30 will go nearly double as far for a little under $2,000 more than the 500e. To make matters worse, the 500e’s latest “drops”, Fiat’s strategy for selling cars with fixed color and equipment akin to a designer shoe launch, push the car to nearly a price of nearly $38,000. The Fiat 500e is going to have to be pretty damn good to make up for those lackluster numbers.
Still, different strokes for different folks, right? The Fiat 500e is probably the cutest car on the market, regardless of price or propulsion type. Visually, it has kept most of the charm that brought buyers to the older gas-powered model but has stepped up the refinement and luxury features. Other cars might go further for roughly the same price as the Fiat 500e, but for some buyers, the 500e’s charm could be just what they’re in search of. It’s certainly a well-reviewed car in the countries where it is already on sale.
So, what would you like to know about the 2024 Fiat 500e? Sound off in the comments, via email to team@insideevs.com, on X/Twitter @InsideEVs, on Threads at @InsideEVscom. Or, just ask me straight up: @GaytonaUSA on X and @gaytona_usa on Threads, or kevin.williams@insideevs.com via e-mail.
