Fiat 500e electric car to spawn variant with gas engine

• Fiat will add a gas engine option to the latest 500
• The result? The 500 Ibrida, Italian for “500 Hybrid”
• Fiat hasn’t said whether the 500 Ibrida will come to the U.S.

The redesigned Fiat 500e electric car[1] launched in 2020 is among the most popular EVs in Europe, with its sales in the region last year topping 65,000 units. The previous-generation 500 powered by a gas engine remains on sale, and managed more than 104,000 sales in Europe over the same period, but the car will be phased out in the region next month as it will no longer be compliant with European Union safety and cybersecurity rules.

Instead of giving up on the sales the older car brings, Fiat will modify the 500e to accept a gas powertrain.

Fiat hasn’t revealed full details but the powertrain is expected to be a mild-hybrid setup utilizing the 1.0-liter inline-3 that’s offered in the older 500, where it delivers 69 hp. The modified 500e will be marketed as the 500 Ibrida, Italian for “500 Hybrid,” and is set for launch sometime between late 2025 and early 2026, Fiat said last week. Although the U.S. is getting the 500e[2] electric car starting with the 2024 model year, no plans have been announced to offer the 500 Ibrida here.

2024 Fiat 500e

Production of the 500 Ibrida will take place at the same Mirafiori plant in Italy where the 500e is built. The older 500 is built in Poland, but Fiat is considering moving its production to a plant in Algeria to continue serving markets in Africa and West Asia. Fiat didn’t mention pricing for the 500 Ibrida but the car is expected to be priced only slightly higher than the older 500 which is priced from about 18,000 euros (approximately £19,500) in Europe.

That would be a steep discount to the 500e which is priced from 29,000 euros (£31,500) in Europe and from £34,095, including a £1,595 destination charge, in the U.S.

The launch of the 500 Ibrida may also pave the way for a successor to the Abarth 595 hot hatch[3], something that never happened with the 500e.

Abarth isn’t scared to lend its name to an EV[4], though.

References

1. ^ Fiat 500e electric car (www.motorauthority.com)
2. ^ getting the 500e (www.motorauthority.com)
3. ^ Abarth 595 hot hatch (www.motorauthority.com)
4. ^ name to an EV (www.motorauthority.com)