Automakers are well versed in the art of the slow reveal, but owners of the new Fiat 500 Hybrid You must learn the art of driving slowly.
To develop the new 500 Hybrid, Fiat revised the 500e’s all-electric platform to adopt the 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain of the previous 500 generation.
In the new model, the mild hybrid produces 48 kW, 4 kW less than the previous generation. A 12 V lithium-ion battery is also used here to make the automatic engine start-stop system run more smoothly and is exclusively mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
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At full throttle, the 500 Hybrid Hatch can do the standard 0 to 100 km/h in 16.2 seconds, but in the heavier convertible it’s just 17.3 seconds. It’s unclear how long it would take for the 500 Hybrid to reach its top speed of 150km/h, while fuel consumption is expected to be around 5.3L/100km.
For comparison, the 87kW version of the 500e sold in Australia accelerates from 0-100km/h in 9.0 seconds, while the 71kW model sold in Europe takes 9.5 seconds to reach the century.
Although pricing hasn’t been announced yet, the 500 Hybrid should be at least £5,000 (A$10,000) cheaper than the 71kW 500e.
The new/old hybrid powertrain will be available in all three current-generation body styles: three-door, convertible and Trepiuno, which features a small, reverse-hinged rear door on the passenger side. The latter is only available as a left-hand drive.
Visually, the 500 Hybrid hardly differs from the electric 500e. There’s a new Hybrid badge on the tailgate, and beneath the oversized 500 badge on the front fascia is a new, small rectangular air intake to help cool the tiny engine.
The differences in the interior are also minimal. The main change is the new console that protrudes from the dashboard and houses the manual gearshift lever.
Launched in 2020, the 500e was one of the last products developed by Fiat Chrysler before the company merged with Groupe PSA – the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel and Vauxhall – to form Stellantis.
At the beginning of its existence, the 500e was the most popular electric vehicle in Italy, and in 2023 around 65,000 vehicles were sold in Europe. However, sales have fallen sharply, with only 25,000 finding new homes in 2024.
In 2024, the second-generation petrol-powered 500 was withdrawn from the market due to new cybersecurity regulations in the EU. As a result, Fiat’s share in the city car segment as well as in the Italian market has fallen dramatically.
Given that the second generation was launched in 2007, Fiat decided that it would make more sense to undertake the necessary work to integrate the three-cylinder mild hybrid into the third-generation 500 rather than trying to bring the old car up to date.
While the second generation 500 was manufactured in Poland, production of the 500 Hybrid will take place alongside the electric 500e at Fiat’s factory in Mirafiori, on the outskirts of Turin.
Production of the 500 Hybrid begins this month. While Fiat alone only plans to produce 5,000 hybrid vehicles this year, the company hopes to produce 100,000 per year.
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