2024 Fiat 500e

Starting at $34,095

Overview

Fiat is making its showrooms cute again with the reintroduction of the 500 city car for the 2024 model year. This time around, the two-door hatchback is offered only in electric 500e guise, powered by a 117-hp electric motor juiced by a battery pack big enough for a 140–150-mile driving range. The 500e retains the previous-generation car’s retro-modern look but with an updated exterior and interior that should help its appeal. A large 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system runs the latest Uconnect 5 software interface, and the interior both looks nicer and is better-equipped than the previous 2019 model. The 500e faces stiff competition from other EVs that offer more interior space and longer driving ranges, but like the gasoline-powered model that relaunched the Fiat brand in the U.S. in 2011, the new 500e’s hopes are pinned on winning buyers over with its adorable looks and Italian charm.

What’s New for 2024?

The 500e is new for 2024 after taking a break from the U.S. market since the 2019 model year. Instead of mass-marketing the 500e, Fiat will try out a new strategy wherein a special version of the car will be “dropped” at regular intervals and be available for order for a limited time. The first of them is the Inspi(RED) model, which benefits Product Red, and raises money to fund HIV and AIDS research. The second drop is a duo of trims called Inspired by Music and Inspired by Beauty, the latter of which was previewed in this YouTube clip starring Jennifer Lopez. The Beauty model is offered only in Rose Gold paint while the Music variant comes only in Tuxedo Black; both come fully loaded with a host of driver-assistance features and desirable items such as heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors. Inspired by Music also features a seven-speaker JBL stereo system tuned by Andrea Bocelli.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

The 2024 500e sold in the U.S. is powered by a 117-hp electric motor borrowed from the European version. Front-wheel drive is the only option and acceleration should be tepid, with Fiat estimating the car will hit 60 mph in 8.5 seconds. The last-generation 500e came with a 111-hp electric motor and needed 8.4 seconds to hit 60 mph in our testing. The new 500e offers three different drive modes—Normal, Range, and Sherpa—each with increasingly aggressive range-preserving behaviors. In our initial drive, we found the 500e to be fun around town, and we liked the most aggressive regenerative braking mode that enables one-pedal driving. The ride is firm, but the interior remains quiet at lower speeds, making the Fiat a good urban runabout, if not exactly a highway cruiser or a high-performance machine.

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Range, Charging, and Battery Life

In other parts of the world, the 500e is offered with one of two battery packs, but the U.S. version will come only with the larger of the two and is said to offer an estimated 140–150 miles of driving per charge; the EPA hasn’t yet rated this model. The battery can be recharged at a DC charging station at up to 85 kW, which is enough to add 31 miles of range in just five minutes, according to Fiat.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe

The EPA hasn’t released the 500e’s MPGe ratings yet, but we’ll update this story when it does. We also plan to take the 500e on our 75-mph highway fuel economy test route to see if its range estimate holds up in the real world. For more information about the 500e’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Although it’s roughly the same size and shape as the last-generation 500e, the new model’s interior looks more upscale and features more contemporary technology. Three fashionable concepts shown at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show previewed what Fiat planned to do to increase the car’s style quotient, although none of those particular collaborations will make it to series production. Even the production models have some stylistic elements, though, including the body-color dashboard trim that matches the exterior and contrasting piping on the seats. The front seats don’t feel as cramped as you might think, but the rear seats are tight for adults

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Fiat 500e comes with a large 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Fiat’s most up-to-date software. A 7.0-inch digital gauge display is also standard, with readouts for speed and state of charge for the battery. A wireless smartphone charging pad is on the menu as is in-dash navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto