2024 Fiat 500e: 149-mile electric minicar returns to US cities at $34,095

The 2024 500e will start at $34,095, including a mandatory $1,595 destination fee, Fiat revealed Tuesday. It will arrive to U.S. dealerships—and focused on urban areas—starting in the first quarter of 2024.

In U.S. spec, the 500e delivers 118 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque from its single permanent-magnet motor, and it has a 42-kwh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery pack. All are essentially identical figures to the Europe-market model that was first delivered three years ago.

The Fiat 500e weighs just over 3,000 pounds—lightweight for an EV, and its battery pack weighs a lean 649 pounds. Keeping the battery at a minimum helps not just achieve a lower carbon footprint, with less reliance on previous raw materials, it should also result in a more nimble-driving small car.

2024 Fiat 500e

Fiat 500e charging: Speedy at home

The relatively small battery pays dividends in quick home or workplace Level 2 AC charging, too. Fiat says that the 500e can charge on 240 volts at 48 amps in just four hours and 15 minutes. Road-trip DC fast-charging, at a peak 85 kw, takes 35 minutes from 0-80%; with an 80% state of charge representing less than 120 miles of range, it’s clearly set up to be an urban commuter, not a road-trip machine.

Fiat doesn’t list a 0-60 mph time for the U.S. 500e, but at the time of its introduction Fiat said the European version (with similar specs) got to 60 in 9.0 seconds.

Urban parking is instead its forte, with that super-short profile, what appears once again to be great outward vision, and a 31.5-foot turning circle. The 500e measures nearly 143.0 inches long, about 74.1 inches wide, and 66.3 inches high, and it rides on a 91.4-inch wheelbase. Ground clearance is listed at less than 4.5 inches, so don’t try to take one to the trailhead.

2024 Fiat 500e

500e is very tiny by American standards

The 500e is a four-passenger vehicle by the specs. But its rear seat is again truly compact, and the cargo space offered behind the rear seatbacks is just 7.5 cubic feet.

Initially, the 500e will come in a single trim level with a red exterior and black-fabric interior with red stitching, appropriately called Red. The 500e Red also includes automatic climate control, remote keyless entry, front armrests, a 50/50-split folding rear seat, rain-sensing wipers, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Instruments and a trip computer are provided in a 7.0-inch display, while there’s a wireless charging pad plus a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, satellite radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Normal, Range, and Sherpa modes provide calibrations to match different driving styles, with the Range mode ramping up regenerative braking for one-pedal driving and the eco-focused Sherpa mode limits the top speed to 50 mph and reduces max power under all but full throttle to about 77 hp.

2024 Fiat 500e

Why is the Fiat 500e back now?

It was always a bit of a puzzle when the brand decided not to bring the second-generation 500e to the U.S. Fiat revealed this generation of the Fiat 500e for Europe in March 2020 as part of the first full redesign for this retro-styled city car since 2007. At that time the brand didn’t plan to bring it back to the U.S.

The first-generation Fiat 500e wasn’t even sold in Fiat’s home of Italy. It was only offered in California and Oregon, and was sold from the 2013-2019 model years. Yes, the little electric car that started as a compliance car to enable more profit-generating trucks had become known for its bargain lease deals—as low as $49 a month, in 2016. And it was so much of a loss leader that Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne at the time suggested people not buy it. But the fun-to-drive Fiat 500e had also become a plaything that people with far more expensive tastes (and budgets) chose to drive into the city.

Last year, Stellantis explained to Green Car Reports that this time the Fiat 500e’s mission, for all 50 states, is simple: to experiment with how it sells EVs ahead of other high-stakes models, like the upcoming Ram 1500 REV electric truck and Dodge electric muscle car.

This time, Fiat doesn’t plan to offer deep discounts on the 500e, as every U.S. sale will be one less European sale.

2024 Fiat 500e

Charging and charity included

At least for this first year, and for this model, Fiat is sweetening the deal, including the choice of a home Wallbox charger or charge credits through the company’s Free2Move Charge service that aggregates chargers from various networks.

Fiat says that for each one of these Red Edition models, the automaker will make a donation “to support life-saving programs where injustice has enabled pandemics to thrive.”