It has been a long time since we heard anything from Fiat. The brand has had a rough go of it in the U.S., and when it last tried to sell an all-electric 500 in the U.S., it was only in specific regions of the country, but a few examples slipped through the cracks at auctions (we saw one at a Michigan vehicle auction several years ago) and then CEO Sergio Marchionne flat out admitted that the company was losing money on every one sold. Times have changed, though, and with the U.S. embracing EVs, Fiat appears ready to try again, as a recent flurry of 2023 500e teaser images indicates.
European Inspired Styling Will Define Next Gen 500e
The four teaser images that Fiat released all point to an EV that will take alot of its design inspiration from what we have seen on European 500 models for the past few years. The headlights have a curved shape but it appears that they were modified slightly to comply with tighter U.S. regulations on exterior vehicle lighting. The styling elements we do see point to a 500 EV that will be more polished and lack some of the crude edges that defined the original 500e.
The European 500e could also provide a window into what U.S. customers can expect from the model in terms of daily commuting performance. Over there, the 500e has an electric powertrain that allows it to produce 118 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque That’s enough to help the 500e make the sprint to 60 mph in 9.0 seconds and also have a range of 199 miles when measured to Europe’s WTLP scale. The interior also features a 10.25-inch infotainment system and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster. That’s a noticeable step up from what the old 500e had and is a nod to the changing tastes of customers when it comes to technology.
What’s Fiat Exactly Planning Here?
For the moment, it’s not known what Fiat has exactly in mind with the model. The Italian brand has so far remained silent on what configurations and models it’s planning to bring to the U.S. We suspect the classic three-door layout will be offered to try and make the 500e appeal to a broader net of customers, but it’s largely unknown what specific models will be offered. An Abarth version is planned for the European market, but it will not be making its debut until after the L.A. Auto Show with the model tentatively slated to make its debut on November 22nd.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.