First Drive: 2024 Fiat 500e Review

After stepping away from gas-powered cars in North America, Fiat is making its return as an all-electric brand—and leading the charge is the 2024 500e. This subcompact city car has already found success globally, with more than 185,000 units sold since its debut in 2020, and now arrives here as a small, style-forward EV aimed at urban drivers.

For North America, the 500e will be offered in three trims in the U.S.: RED, Inspired by Music, and Inspired by Beauty; while Canada gets the base RED and a single La Prima model. We spent time behind the wheel of the entry-level RED at the car’s Miami launch to see how this tiny EV fits into today’s market and who it actually makes sense for.

2024 Fiat 500e Dimensions: Length, Width, and Size

The 2024 Fiat 500e is exactly what you’d expect from a modern city car: small, tight, and easy to live with in urban environments. It measures just over 143 inches in length, making it significantly shorter than most subcompact hatchbacks, while its compact footprint and short wheelbase make parking and maneuvering effortless. Despite that, Fiat has stretched it slightly compared to the previous gas model, giving it a bit more interior room without losing the small-car charm that defines the 500.

Dimension	Measurement
Length	143.0 inches (3,632 mm)
Width	66.3 inches (1,683 mm)
Height	60.1 inches (1,527 mm)
Wheelbase	91.4 inches (2,322 mm)
Curb Weight	~2,952 lbs (1,339 kg)

Classic Fiat Styling, Now Fully Electric

Say this for Fiat cars, especially the 500, but they really don’t look like anything else on the road. Its look is immediately recognizable as a Fiat, and the company has leaned strongly into the 67-year history of the 500, with design cues that feel both modern and classic.

Like the gas-powered version previously sold in North America, the 500e has a similar stubby profile, with an upright hatchback body style that’s in keeping with the car’s history. Fiat designers have updated the front grille, flattened the car’s nose and hood, and added standard LED lighting at the front and rear. The 500e also wears standard 17-inch diamond-cut aluminum wheels. 

Built on a New EV Platform (And Slightly Bigger)

The 500e is built on Stellantis’ new STLA City architecture, which is designed to optimize weight and aerodynamics for better range, along with an improved ride and reduced noise, vibration, and harshness. The platform also aims for better handling, a better driving position with improved rear seat access, and a high-voltage battery designed to maximize cabin space.

Of note, the 500e is 2.4 inches (61 mm) longer and 2.2 inches (56 mm) wider than the previous gas-powered 500, and it rides on a wheelbase that has grown by 0.87 inches (22 mm). As a result, the front seats are 1.65 inches (42 mm) wider, and front passengers have 0.4 inches (10 mm) more headroom.

Related – 2016 Fiat 500X Review

Power, Range, and Charging Explained

• Motor: Electric (front-mounted)
• Output: 117 hp / 162 lb-ft
• Battery: 42 kWh lithium-ion
• Range: ~227 km (149 miles)
• Charging: Up to 85 kW DC fast charging
• Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive (FWD)

Powering all 500e models is an 87-kWh electric motor that’s paired with a 42-kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack that drives the front wheels. Output is rated at 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft. of torque. Total range is 149 miles / 227 kilometers, and the car will support DC fast charging up to 85 kW. The 500e comes with three driving modes: normal, range, and sherpa. 

A Simple, Tech-Focused Interior That Works

In Miami, Fiat reps told us that simplifying the 500e’s model lineup was a key goal, and part of that was achieved by paring back the number of options. Essentially, this means a lot of standard equipment. Among these are a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen, a wireless cell phone charging pad, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Heated front seats are also standard in Canada.

Upper-level Inspired by and La Prima models offer items such as body-colored mirror caps, leather seating, JBL seven-speaker audio with subwoofer, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and more.

Related – 2013 Fiat 500C (Convertible) Abarth Review

Pricing: What the 500e Costs in the U.S. and Canada

The 2024 500e offering is essentially the same in both the U.S. and Canada, but the trims are packaged differently. There are three distinct trims in the U.S., and two for Canada. In the U.S., the base RED grade is available in three colors: Red, Tuxedo Black, and Glacier White.

The Inspired by Music grade is sold in Tuxedo Black only, while the Inspired by Beauty trim is only available in Rose Gold. In Canada, the RED grade is the available in the same three colors as the U.S. market, but the other two trims have been merged into one La Prima grade.

The 500e base MSRP, excluding freight, dealer fees, and taxes is as follows: 

• U.S. – $32,500
• Canada – $39,995

Inspired by Music / Inspired by Beauty / La Prima:

• U.S. – $36,000
• Canada – $44,995

Because the 500e is built in Italy, it doesn’t qualify for the U.S. federal green car rebate at purchase, but it does qualify for credits if it is leased. State and local credits may also apply depending on jurisdiction. In Canada, the 500e qualifies for the federal green car rebate, and provincial rebate programs in British Columbia and Quebec. Federal and provincial rebates are stackable. 

In the U.S., the 500e comes bundled with a Level 2 home charger or $600 worth of charge credits through Free2Move Charge, a charging network owned by Stellantis.

Driving Impressions

The Fiat 500 has always been a very small car, and it remains so in 500e guise despite slightly bigger dimensions. The back seat is an acceptable place for kids and small adults, but most average-sized adults will find it quite cramped. For most intenders, the back seat is best used as extra cargo space.

That said, the 500e is a fun car to drive. Unlike many other EVs (especially SUVs), this car has a sporting, fun-to-drive character that one feels immediately. Despite obvious drawbacks stemming from its small size and limited range, the 500e has personality. Like all EVs, the 500e is fast, but its short wheelbase and lightweight structure produce sharp handling reflexes. One-pedal driving, especially in Sherpa mode, delivers a lot of brake regeneration, but the car is at its zippiest and most engaging self in normal mode.

We also love the car’s quirky Italian looks, Easter egg design cues and stylish cabin that is well-designed and easy to use. The cupholder placement up front is a bit, ah, unusual, but it’s nothing one can’t get used to.  

Takeaway

Fiat officials were quick to tell the assembled media in Miami that the 500e isn’t for everyone. Its small size and limited range won’t make sense for every EV buyer. But, if shoppers are looking for a second car that’s great for local driving, is easy to park and maneuver, and has loads of Italian style, the 500e just might be the car they’re looking for.

The 2024 Fiat 500e RED goes on sale across North America this spring. Inspired by Music and Inspired by Beauty grades (La Prima in Canada) will begin arriving this summer.