Sixty-seven years ago, an automotive legend was born in Italy in the form of the Fiat Cinquecento. Over seven million of the diminutive cars were sold under different nameplates, including the most recent variant, the Fiat 500. At a recent media launch in Miami, Florida, Fiat showed their full-electric 2024 Fiat 500e, marking a return to the U.S. market for the 500e which was last produced in 2019.
Small in size and stature but roomy inside, the new 500e is sporty and offers the allure and prestige of Italian car ownership.
500e Exterior
The basic shape of the new 500e is the same as the 2019 model, and that’s good as it’s an attractive vehicle. The 2024 model was designed to be an EV from the ground up, and is longer and wider than the 2019 model, with a battery that’s almost twice as powerful (34kWH vs. 43kWH). Yet the 2024 model is 50 pounds lighter than the 2019 500e.
There are three trim levels available. The INSPI(RED) edition is available in Glacier White, Tuxedo Black, and of course, Red. All three paint schemes feature red side mirror caps.
The Inspired By Beauty trim offers a stunning Rose Gold body color, with body color mirror caps and chrome molding.
The Inspired By Music trim features four “venues” chosen by the legendary Italian Tenor Andrea Bocelli. Venues offer listeners a virtual-reality audio experience that changes the acoustic characteristics of the car depending on the chosen location, transporting listeners to unique listening environments through a JBL 7-speaker amplified audio system with a subwoofer:
- My Music Room – Offers an intimate musical experience as if the artist was playing your favorite song
- My Recording Studio – Simulates the acoustics and tones of a recording studio
- Giuseppe Verdi Opera House, Pisa –It’s as if you were sitting front and center in the famed opera house, enjoying a live performance
- Open-Air Arena – Features the acoustics and energetic feeling of an open-air arena
Both Inspired By trims are also equipped with the Acoustic Vehicle Alert System that “sings” to pedestrians with a song titled, “The Sound of 500,” authored by Flavio Ibba-Marco Gualdi. The exclusive melody provides a taste of Italian culture during the first moments of every drive and resets each drive. The purpose of the system is to alert pedestrians in urban areas that you just hit the road in your near-silent 500e.
Charging, Range, and Drive Experience
The new 500e offers an estimated range of 149 miles through the standard 42 kWh battery. Estimated MPGe (e-equivalent) is rated at 119 MPGe on summer tires.
The estimated charge time from 0-80% is approximately 35 minutes with an 85 kW DC fast charge; estimated time from 0-100 percent is six hours with a Level 2 (11 kW) charging station.
Every Fiat 500e includes Fiat telematics with three years of smartphone app connectivity. A complimentary 11 kW AC-DC onboard charger offers easy charging at home or on the road, which can be scheduled ahead of time through Uconnect or the Uconnect mobile app.
On the road, the 500e is a solid performer with 117 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, reaching 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds, providing excellent performance while managing range.
It’s also very roomy inside. I stand 6’9” tall, and my drive partner Henry Payne is 6’5”. We both had ample headroom and decent legroom. The head of design for the new 500e is 6’8”, so it was pre-ordained that Henry and I would experience a roomy cabin!
We both found the ride quality of the 500e to be above average, and the interior is serenely quiet with the windows up, and wind noise is well managed with the windows down.
It’s an enjoyable car to drive.
Safety
All Fiat 500e trims offer standard active and passive safety systems. The “Inspired By” models are equipped with a Level 2 active driving system, which combines Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The Fiat 500e is the first all-electric car in its segment to offer Level 2, hands-on driver assist technology.
Trim Pricing
INSPI(RED) trim starts at $32,500. Inspired By trims begin at $36,000. Prices are exclusive of a $1,595 destination fee.
The 2024 Fiat 500e is a perfect commuter or suburban short-range vehicle. Well done Fiat!
