The other day I was fortunate to drive the 2024 Fiat 500e with the INSPI(RED) trim. It’s quite the departure from the original 2-stroke 500 from the 1960s. It’s gained some weight (~3000lbs.), ditched the dinosaur-fueled engine, and added a host of technology. Although Fiat has done a lot to give it the spirit of the original car, I’d argue that the electric version is even closer to the genesis than any other version of the retro-remake we’ve seen since 2007.
The point of a Fiat 500 was to be a plucky and charming city car that was basic and most importantly: cheap. Fiat isn’t making the best effort and keeping the cost down with the 500e ($32,500 starting price for the INSPI(RED) trim) but in the other departments, they’re not doing too bad. It has two seats up front and two, mostly unusable, seats in the back. The hatchback makes it useful for moving a chest of drawers and the cabin is appointed with enough infotainment to keep you satisfied in today’s high-tech environment. They even added small touches, such as electric door handles, to trick you into believing you’re getting a bargain.
The charm of the car is intact with its cute curves and Easter egg appointments—an Italian flag in the marker light, excellent decision. This is a small car that reminds you to relax a bit. “Relax” is the keyword as you won’t be going anywhere fast. With a mere 117 horses, it doesn’t get anywhere fast. Being battery-powered, it does FEEL faster than it is. Having the maximum torque at rpm one helps give a slight jolt when navigating urban traffic. Having a range of nearly 150 miles from a 42kWh battery means you won’t be going far from home either.
What we’ve got here is a slow car that won’t take you very far or at any high speed and it’s cute enough to be featured in a Hello Kitty marketing campaign with its singing motor (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System). Other than the styling, it is an affordable EV when compared to today’s competition, which if it were ten thousand dollars cheaper, it would likely sell like mad. As we speak the sales have been abysmal—as of September 2024, slightly over 200 have found homes. That’s a tragedy as it makes it rarer than a Ferrari Enzo (400 units) or even a McLaren P1 (375 units).
The city is the home of this small electric runabout. If you need the ability to parallel park in a stall made for a Segway, you might want to consider the Fiat 500e. Especially considering the small battery pack means short charges (5 minutes of charge will get you 31 miles of range). It’s a fun car, less cute in black (Inspired by Music trim), far cuter in pink “rose gold” (Inspired by Beauty trim), and if it were just a bit cheaper, it would be far more appealing and more common. But hey, some of us want to gloat to the neighbors that we’ve got an ‘ultra-rare red Italian car with retro styling.’
Cheers!
M. T. Blake
