Will Fiat’s Artsy Strategy Help 500e?

Against the odds, perhaps, Fiat is launching a new battery-electric version of the 500e in the U.S. with just 149 miles (240 km) of range, with prices starting at $32,500 and two additional special edition versions starting at $36,000.

Fiat essentially exited the U.S. market during the COVID pandemic, with annual sales dropping to 160 vehicles in 2022, per Wards Intelligence. into the hundreds. But Stellantis believes it’s worth trying again with a new business model and a fashion-and-arts-driven marketing approach to sell the vehicle as a commuter ride.

Consumers can even buy the car without going to a dealership through the Fiat Live Store, an interactive digital experience.

Having already announced the launch of the 500e this spring, the company drops two new special edition models with premium styling, features and pricing: “Inspired By Music” and “Inspired By Beauty.”

The special editions have unique content including a JBL audio system, colors and Level 2 ADAS. The new versions flank the previously announced base 500e Red edition, the volume model.

The “Inspired By Beauty” features include an exclusive Rose Gold color, body-color mirror caps and chrome window moldings, beige synthetic leather seats, soft-touch steering wheel and a chic synthetic leather-wrapped dashboard.

“Inspired By Music” features a marketing tie-in with popular opera star Andrea Bocelli for a version for audiophiles: Painted Tuxedo Black, this 500e comes with a JBL 7-speaker audio system with subwoofer. There is a “virtual venue” feature offering drivers a virtual-reality audio experience that changes the acoustic characteristics of the car depending on the chosen location, transporting listeners to unique listening environments: My Music Room, which conveys the feeling that the artist is playing in front of the driver; My Recording Studio, which offers enhanced acoustics of a professional studio; Giuseppe Verdi Opera House, which mimics the experience of that famous venue; and Open-Air Arena, which recreates the audio experience of famous venues such as the Hollywood Bowl.

“Fiat and the 500 are directly tied to Italian culture, so combining our pure-electric city car with two renowned country treasures is a natural fit,” says Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO, DS Automobiles CEO and Stellantis global chief marketing officer. “The Fiat 500e has many facets that reflect its Italian heritage. Celebrating style and culture, the ’Inspired By’ models emphasize the Italian DNA of the 500e in a way that only Fiat can.”

While Stellantis is bullish on the little car's potential, and dealers have ordered their full allotment, it remains to be seen how eager consumers will be given the slowdown in demand for BEVs and range anxiety being the No. 1 impediment to buying one.

But management believes there is a market for a fashion-driven BEV commuter car in metro markets. “When you are in markets like Miami, New York City, Boston, Washington DC, you are maybe driving 40 miles (64 km) or less per day,” Aamir Ahmed, Fiat’s brand chief in North America, tells WardsAuto. “For a lot of people we are marketing this car to, and selling it to, this is a car almost exclusively for a daily commute.”

Ahmed is not discussing expected sales volume for the U.S. or North America. But if demand doesn’t meet expectations, it will have been a small risk with limited downside as the 500e is assembled at the Mirafiori Assembly Plant in Turin, Italy, where Stellantis also builds the Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans and the Levante Gran Turismo SUV.

The European version of today's 500e, called the New 500, is one of the top-selling BEVs in EU, so the home market will take production if the U.S. doesn’t.

Fiat has had a tough time in the U.S. since it launched the modern 500 in 2011. Sales of Fiat-branded vehicles in the U.S. peaked in 2014 after selling over 46,000 units. But then things went into freefall, dropping steadily to 11,301 in 2020 and just over 2,000 units in 2021 in the thick of the pandemic.

The Tech

The 500e has a dedicated battery-electric platform and is powered by a 42-kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery system. The propulsion system produces 117 hp, 162 lb.-ft. (220 Nm) of torque and a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 8.5 seconds.  Replenishing 80% of the battery takes about 35 minutes with an 85-kW DC fast charger.