► Read our Fiat 500e review
► A pioneering small EV when new
► But pricing and rivals are now against it
When the Fiat 500 Electric – also known as the 500e – was first introduced to us in 2021, it was a pioneer. It made small electric cars fun, familiar and somewhat affordable. Admittedly, the small EV screen was primitive back then, its biggest rivals were the Honda e and Mini Electric, both of which were too expensive and could do about 100 miles on a charge if you were lucky.
But progress has been unrelentingly rapid, and there’s now a raft of excellent electric superminis that make the Fiat 500 Electric look as outdated as a VHS tape. The Renault 5 E-Tech, Hyundai Inster and Fiat Grande Panda Electric all undercut the 500e on price while offering more room, longer driving ranges and aren’t exactly short of charm.
But if you can stomach the cost, this chic little e-mover still has plenty to recommend it. Our how we test cars page will help you understand why you should trust our review.
Should I buy a Fiat 500 Electric? If you love the look, go for it. There are cheaper small EVs that substantially outclass it, but there’s an undeniable charm to the 500e that’s hard to ignore.
At a glance
Pros: Fun to drive, ideal around the city, still got a strong image
Cons: Battery tech is now average, limited interior space, there’s a price premium
What’s new?
There hasn’t been a dramatic amount of change since the 500 Electric first launched. There have been periods when the smaller battery version wasn’t available due to supply issues, but things are back to normal now. And as has long been case in 500 world, a ‘Cabrio’ variant with a fold-back fabric roof is still offered alongside the conventional hatchback.
It is perhaps worth noting that despite appearances, the 500e has nothing in common with the previous Fiat 500 petrol (and diesel) models. Though they look very similar, the body and the underlying engineering were entirely new – allowing the electric 500 to meet the latest mandatory safety requirements, which eventually forced the old dino-juice versions off-sale.
In a u-turn that would make a manifesto proud, Fiat will now sell this generation of 500 with a combustion engine. This car was never meant to use internal combustion, yet a new Fiat 500 Hybrid will is due to arrive before the end of 2025.
Fiat claimed it was the most advanced city car around at its launch, and its large touchscreen and excellent driver assistance tech are still impressive for such a dinky car. If you want your Fiat 500e to look a bit angrier and go a bit faster, try the Abarth version – we have a separate Abarth 500e review.
What are the specs?
There are two different versions of the 500e available – one that’s best reserved for city use because of its small battery and range, and another that gives a bit more scope for longer trips.
The entry-level model’s little electric motor packs 94bhp and 162lb ft of torque, but that’s still enough zip for a 9.5-second 0-62mph time. Opt for the more expensive and larger battery and this gets a power boost to 116bhp, though torque remains the same. It wipes half a second off the 62mph sprint time, mind, and especially in the confines of city streets, feels more than nippy enough.
Range and charging
Choose the regular 500e and it makes do with a tiny 24kWh battery – the same as an original Nissan Leaf – and means it’s only really suited to those using their car for local journeys or buzzing around the city. Fiat claims a driving range of 118 miles, but in our experience that will be more like 90 miles in the real world. If you’re sensible.
The larger 42kWh battery is a much better option and, with up to 199 miles of WLTP driving range, remains competitive for an electric car of this size. Sadly, our testing suggests you’ll see more like 150 miles per charge unless you have an exceptionally light right foot. Making maximum use of the near one-pedal brake regen setting can help, especially around town.
As for charging, the smaller battery can ‘rapid’ charge at 50kW – a pretty pathetic effort by modern standards – while the bigger unit staggers on to 85kW, which is also rather lame. Still, because the batteries aren’t very big, you can theoretically go from zero to 80 per cent in 30-35 minutes.
If you’re going to charge at home every night and don’t need much range, the smaller battery may have more merits beyond the cost saving. Less than nine hours is needed to fully charge it with a three-pin socket, let alone a home wallbox; if you’re luck enough to have a three-phase 11kW one of those, a full charge takes just 2.5 hours. The bigger battery needs around 15 hours and four hours, respectively.
How does it drive?
It’s no surprise that the Fiat 500e shines the most in the confines of a city. The initial 0-30mph sprint away from a set of traffic lights is particularly nippy, and the light steering is brilliantly suited to tight streets and zipping in and out of traffic. The dimensions are marginally larger than the old petrol 500, but it still feels perfectly sized for a town-centre thrashing.
That said, the 500 Electric is pretty competent away from the urban jungle. Unlike some other smaller EVs it doesn’t seem to run out of steam even at higher speeds. It’s not a car designed for long motorway journeys, though, as the range quickly tumbles at a sustained 70mph.
When the going gets twisty, it’s really quite a hoot to drive, with a small amount of well-controlled body roll and the sprightly performance equating to something you’ll jump in and enjoy. It also addresses so many of the flaws of the old petrol 500, not least the awkward driving position that made it feel like you were sitting on the car rather than in it.
The 500e has plenty of grip, too, and it even rides well given its tiny wheelbase and cartoonish alloy wheels. There are no fancy Sport driving modes – choose the Abarth for that – but fairly simple Normal, Sport and Sherpa settings. The latter is for if you’re about to run out of range; it limits the speed to 50mph, turns the climate control off and has stronger regen as well.
What about the interior?
The 500e’s interior matches the style of the exterior, with a colourful dashboard mirroring the exterior of the 500 in a trendy matte finish. At its launch in 2021, entry-level models missed out on a touchscreen, and instead had a smartphone clip to use your phone as the infotainment system.
It wasn’t a bad idea, but these days all models get a 10.25-inch touchscreen as standard. It works well, is decently quick and laden with all the features you’d want or need, but is angled ever so slightly away from the driver, making it’s slightly awkward to operate.
It feels more solid inside than Fiat 500s of old, but in many ways still like it was built to a budget. You won’t find many soft-touch materials here, though the elements you react with and the seats, which can be made from recycled ocean plastics, feel of decent quality.
The Fiat 500’s main downside is the one that should be pretty obvious for a car of this size – spaciousness. Only the most flexible will be able to get into the back seats easily and comfortably, and there’s no room for the driver’s left foot, odd in a car with no need for a central transmission tunnel. Elsewhere, the front cup holders are either buried at the bottom of the centre console, or down by the carpets. Neither are easy to use but are at least stylishly integrated. The boot measures in at just 185 litres, identical to the old car.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
Whichever electric 500 you go for, it’s guaranteed to have style on its side. But there’s the option for even more in the way of looks with a convertible, which is more of a big canvas sunroof. It takes 25 seconds to retract it and it can be done at speeds of up to 62mph, so there’s no need for those embarrassing emergency lay-by stops when you the weather takes a turn for the worst. This only comes with the bigger battery.
Standard kit is quite generous, including a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with keyless entry and climate control. There are two standard specifications – the base model and La Prima – plus the 500 Red limited edition supporting that charity, and whatever the current special is when you visit the dealer. We most recently drove the Giorgio Armani Collector’s Edition example, and boy was it fancy with its 17” Alloy Wheels that look like the Giorgio Armani badge, exclusive paint and extra styling details dotted around the interior. Then again, it should be for £34,035.
As mentioned right at the start, there are now far more tempting small electric cars available for your cash. Stars of the show at the moment include the charming Renault 5 E-Tech, the spacious Hyundai Inster, and Chinese upstarts including the BYD Dolphin Surf. There’s also the Fiat Grande Panda, a cheaper EV on a more basic platform but one that’s also packed with style and personality. No wonder Fiat is keen to launch a cheaper petrol version of this 500 now.
Verdict: Fiat 500 Electric
The 500e might be a few years old now but it’s still enticing. It’s good to drive, feels pleasingly modern yet has managed to lose none of the charm or style of the 500 model line that has made it so popular.
But there’s also no denying that competition is now far fiercer. At this point, our money would be heading towards the French rather than the Italians…
Specs below are for the Fiat 500 42kWh