FIAT unleashed its third-generation, all-electric 500e back in March 2020 at the peak of the pandemic. The cute city car has quickly become one of the best-selling electric vehicles (EVs) across Europe, Brazil, and even Japan. Now the Italian brand will finally bring the new battery-electric 500e to the North American market.
Although there are several variants of the 500e available in the European market, FIAT has not yet said which variants will be available in North America. We know the FIAT has been evaluating the vehicle potential in the marketplace for some time, so we should get some answers during today’s press conference.
There are three variants of the 500e available in Europe (500e, 500e Cabrio, and 500e 3+1), as well as, two different electrified powertrains. We believe the more powerful powertrain will be the standard offering in the U.S. and Canada, as it provided 87 kW (117 horsepower) of power. That is good enough for a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) run of 9-seconds flat. The more powerful powertrain also includes a 42-kWh lithium-ion battery and 85-kW fast charging capability.
It takes only 5 minutes to build up a sufficient energy reserve to travel 50 kilometers (about 31 miles), more than is needed for average daily use. The fast charger can also charge the battery to 80% in just 35 minutes. A Combo 2 socket is located on the rear right-side panel of the car and offers both AC and DC charging.
The 500e also offers Level 2 autonomy with features like intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (iACC) and Lane Centering.
FIAT’s press conference is scheduled for today from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. PST. You can watch the unveiling LIVE at the top of this page from the floor of the LA Auto Show. We will have the complete details about the North American model soon after the event ends.
