The Fiat 500, an Italian icon for over 70 years, will now be available as an all-electric vehicle for only £19,995 (after the £3,000 plug-in car grant).
The car is expected to be delivered in March 2021 and will be powered by a 94 bhp electric motor capable of 0-62mph in 9.5sec and an 84mph top speed. This variant will be supported by a 23.8kWh battery that will offer a WLTP-certified range of 115 miles and that will be able to charge at speeds of up to 50kW.
However, the Italian brand will also offer a trim with a larger 42kWh pack that will be able to travel 199 miles on a charge and be capable of charging at 85kW. The power output will also be boosted to 117bhp for a 0-62mph time of 9.0sec. This version however will be slightly more expensive as it will start at £23,495.
The 85kW rapid-charging system can recharge the battery from empty to 80% capacity in 35 minutes. The car will also have a roof made of a sliding fabric and according to the company, it will be the world’s first four-seat convertible EV.
Fiat has also unveiled a new ‘3+1' option, which adds a reverse-opening rear door on the passenger side for ease of entry to the back seat. However, it is not known when or if this version will ever see the UK roads as for now it will only be available for left-hand-drive markets.
The new 500 could be another homerun for the Italian company as all the previous generations have been well-received by the public and became instant best-sellers. The 500 was launched in 1957 and then it was brought back once again in 2007.
The new electric version will also be slightly larger than its internal combustion predecessor as it will grow by 6cm in length and 6cm in width, to 3.63m long and 1.69m wide. It will also be 4cm taller than before, at 1.53m.
As a sign of Fiat’s commitment to electrification, when the electric 500 arrives, the existing 500 will be rebranded as the Classic.
“Our hope is to convince as many customers of the combustion engine to go electric, so we will carefully look at who the customers are and our ability to shift traditional 500 lovers to electric,” said Olivier Francois, Fiat’s head of brand.