2023 Fiat 500e electric car: $52,500 Australian pricing confirmed

UPDATE: Fiat 500e pricing confirmed ahead of July launch

The all-new Fiat 500e electric city car will be priced from $52,500 before on-road costs, according to an industry pricing guide.

Only one flagship 'La Prima' variant in a three-door hatchback body style will be offered at launch, when it lands in July.

Full local specifications will be detailed from March, but expect the Italian-made compact EV to house the largest available 37.3kWh usable battery delivering around 315 kilometres of driving range.

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It will also likely debut active safety assistance systems for the first time, boasting a 10.25-inch UConnect touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, and LED lights.

The spicier Abarth 500e electric hot hatch will arrive in late 2023.

If the pricing guide proves correct, the Fiat 500e will undercut its closest rival on price, the three-door Mini Electric Classic which costs from $55,650 before on-roads, and sits just above the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range small SUV at $51,011 before on-roads

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The story to here

December 2021: Fiat 500e gets Australian government approval

The Australian Government’s Road Vehicle Regulator (ROVER) has revealed approval documents for the forthcoming Fiat 500e electric city-hatch.

Only one larger 37.3kWh usable battery (42kWh gross) model will be offered in a three-door hatchback body style.

Using overseas specs as a guide, this means Australian-bound 500es will offer around 315 kilometres of claimed driving range from a single front motor producing 87kW of power and 220Nm of torque.

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It can go from 0-100km/h in a claimed nine seconds, while charging capabilities are rated up to 11kW AC and 85kW DC.

The filings don’t mention the Cabrio convertible and 3+1 ‘suicide door’ body styles, along with the even smaller 21.3kWh usable battery packing up to 190km of claimed WLTP driving range available in Europe.

November 2022: 'Abarth New 500' electric hot hatch previewed

A first official teaser for the upcoming electric 2023 Abarth 500 – simply dubbed 'Abarth New 500' – has been handed down. Get all the details, and watch the teaser, at the link below.

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June 2022: Electric Fiat 500 confirmed for Australia

The Australian arm of Fiat has confirmed its all-electric 500e will go on sale locally next year.

Having first been launched in Europe two years ago by Fiat as the New 500, the electric city car is now coming to Australia, although no local pricing or features have been locked in.

As opposed to its predecessor, which debuted in 2008 and is still on sale today – making it one of the oldest new cars in Australia – the New 500 is available only as an electric vehicle, with international markets given a choice of 70kW and 87kW motors, paired to 23.8kWh and 42kWh battery packs respectively.

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It's likely Australian models will come with the larger combination of motor and battery, offering a driving range of roughly 305 kilometres – on par with prospective rivals such as the BYD Atto 3 Superior standard range as well as Hyundai's fully-electric Kona and Ioniq.

Speaking of its rivals, pricing could be a strong suit for the 500e, with its UK post-tax price tag of £23,835 (AU$41,800) in 70kW guise and £31,485 (AU$55,250) with the 87kW motor potentially putting it in the hotly-contested sub-$60,000 EV fight.

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An 85kW DC fast charging system is available with the larger of the two batteries, with Fiat claiming it can charge the battery from zero to 80 per cent in just 35 minutes and add 50km of driving range in five minutes.

Overseas, the 500e is available in three body styles – a hatchback, convertible and the unique 3+1, the latter of which offers a small, reverse hinged door on the passenger side – although it's likely just the conventional three-door will come to the local market.

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Although unconfirmed by Fiat's local branch, it's likely the arrival of the New 500 will signal the end of the current 500's life in Australia, ending a nearly 15-year long run.

Fiat has previously announced it is aiming to become a fully-electric brand by 2030, as its UK operations confirmed earlier this week it would drop non-electrified models from its line-up before next year.

Wheels will provide updates on the launch of the 500e closer to its arrival in the first half of 2023.