The brand is entering its era of electricity

What’s more, the EV model is now the only way to get a Fiat supermini; The petrol model is no longer available in any market. In Europe, the second generation 500e has already been on the road since 2020.

“It’s not just an electric version, it’s THE 500,” said Aamir Ahmed, head of Fiat North America, about the new 500e. “That shows how confident we are in this decision. And with this car, you’ll see that going electric has made it even better.”

According to Aamir Ahmed, we are talking about a logical and responsible action by the company. Within the Stellantis group, Fiat is the world’s best-selling brand. Why not offer one of its most popular models only in an electronic version …

We hit the streets, under blue skies and surrounded by graffiti-covered walls (not to mention traffic-choked streets – we’ll get back to that) of Miami, to park the new Fiat 500th.

Model from Fiat 500e 2024 — 8/10

In vehicles such as superminis or subcompacts, design plays an important role, often more important than in more general categories. Their external appearance acts as a business card. Take for example the Mini, the old Fiat 500, or the Volkswagen Beetle. These models highlight their European identity and evoke images of the sunny streets of cities such as Nice, Barcelona or Turin, Fiat’s birthplace in Italy.

With this in mind, the new 500e is easily recognizable as an evolution of the old model. The wheels are pushed towards corners, the roof rises, there is minor damage to the roof, and so on. Fiat added additional details such as LED ‘eyebrows’ above the usual LED headlights, which are now semi-circular instead of round, as well as beautiful Italian flag motifs on the front fenders, 17-inch rims as usual.

Even the Fiat logo has been replaced on the rear shelf with “Fiat” lettering in body color. No worries for 500 fans: the grille remains looking “mustache”.

Three colors are offered: black, white and red. We will have to wait a bit for the “Acid Green” color that the Abarth model reserved for Europe receives.

2024 Fiat 500e Interior – 8/10

Many changes inside, in terms of style and comfort. The dashboard still matches the body color, but this is the only direct one for the old 500 models. The embedded analog gauges have been replaced by a 7.5-inch digital screen, and the traditional gear lever gives way to a series of buttons.

There’s a 10.25-inch central display with Uconnect5 and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

Look closely and you’ll discover interesting details, such as the Turin skyline painted on the wireless charging pad, or the silhouettes of the original Fiat 500 Cinquecento from the 1960s.

The distribution of button selection aims to reduce clutter in the cabin, which is a frequent theme in the 500e. To this end, all drivetrains are mounted very low in the chassis; there is no need for a transmission tunnel, for example, which increases the available space.

A wireless charging pad, standard on all models, is strategically placed above the row of buttons. Under the middle armrest, you will find practical compartments for your small items. And for your Starbucks coffee, the cup holder folds out from the center of the dashboard.

The interior now offers a larger, more welcoming space, with smoother curves that reduce the risk of bumping into elbows or knees. The accessibility of the rear seats has been improved, making their use easier. However, this position remains a concern for adults for a long time. Personally, I would probably prefer to have the rear seats folded down to increase the amount of storage, allowing two hockey bags to be easily handled.

Overall, the exterior appearance is excellent. The interior is also spacious, with impressive headroom for the Fiat 500, giving the impression of a larger cabin than it looks.

The 500e only loses points due to the lack of a front trunk or an optional sunroof on any version – obviously This is the 500e RED ($39,995) and Prima ($44,995), by the way. Although sunroofs tend to reduce bedrooms, there is so much space here that in my opinion a sunroof would be fine. Cloth seats are standard, while leather seats are included in the La Prima trim.

Technology in the 2024 Fiat 500e – 8.5/10

Uconnect5 proves that the Stellantis infotainment system is one of the most efficient systems on the market. The touchscreen is large and responsive, the menus are intuitively laid out and require little manipulation to select the right option. The navigation system is powered by Tomtom. The 500e has an EV menu that helps you track your charge, energy usage and more.

While not particularly important in a small car, the reversing camera is surprisingly accurate, even if it doesn’t have a 360-degree panoramic view in either version. Lane departure and forward collision warnings are included as standard. However, to benefit from the adaptive cruise control and the camera that offers better blind spot visibility, it is important to choose the Prima version.

Recharge

Charging the 500e’s 42 kWh battery can be done on level 1, 2 or 3 fast chargers. The charge time, at level two, allows you to go from 0 to 100 charges in about six hours, with a DC charger with speeds from 10. up to 80% within 35 minutes.

Driving Fiat 500e 2024 – 7.5/10

Power is rated at 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, sent immediately to the front wheels as there is no transmission to speak of. This means that there is a good acceleration during startup. It’s not a sports car (we’re not in the same waters as last generation Abarth’s 500 petrol, by the way), but it has enough punch to zip through traffic at a decent pace.

Speaking of traffic. Our time navigating the pastel, palm-lined streets of Miami proved once again that there are many people in this city. Beaches, tourist buses, increasing road works, the fact that the left lane almost always becomes the left lane – all these combine to create a certain stress. Add to that the fact that beach dwellers cross whenever they want, and you will understand why Fiat brought us to this particular place.

Because with a maximum range of 227 kilometers, the 500e is a city car in its own right, and Fiat did not hesitate to remind us of this throughout our test. This is not a car designed for long distance travel. It was better to try it in its natural environment.

In this precise setting, the combination of responsive steering, agile chassis and spacious interior provide the peace of mind needed to get around with ease. It becomes clear why small cars, whether they are called superminis or Kei cars, are very popular with residents of big cities: they really make urban life easier.

Some of your questions about the 2024 Fiat 500e

Le Canadian aura-t-il version of Abarth?

Fiat hasn’t said yes yet, but it hasn’t said no either. The last time the 500 was available in Canada, the Abarth version was too, so we’ll say it makes sense. This will probably depend on how popular the model is.

Are there driveways?

There are three driving modes: Normal, Range and Sherpa. The latter mode cuts off all energy-consuming resources to get you home safely. When you turn it on, you’ll feel the acceleration is less responsive, the revs become stronger as soon as you let off the accelerator. It will allow you to stop without applying the brakes, but this type of one-pedal drive cannot be turned on or off without using the drive modes. And the HVAC system shuts down, all in the name of saving energy. Everything can be selected using the dial near the armrest.

The last word

The little 500 has a lot of weight on its shoulders, especially in North America. This is the only model that will be sold on our market at the moment, a regular supplier if you will, of a historic brand.

The 500e seems well equipped. It meets all the conditions set by the Fiat boss, and both versions are eligible for federal and provincial discounts in British Columbia and Quebec – the only two provinces where it will be sold initially, before heading to other markets at the end of the year. So this model offers good value for money, and will actually be the cheapest electric car on sale in Canada when it arrives, even eclipsing the Nissan LEAF. It’s a winning combination.

Competitors of the Fiat 500e 2024

• Mazda MX-30
• Mini Cooper SE
• Nissan LEAF

Original content from Auto123.