Fiat 500e to be offered with combustion power
Slower demand for EVs globally behind decision to develop mild-hybrid version of pint-size electric hatchStellantis has confirmed it will launch the first hybrid version of the Fiat 500e in 2026, even though the all-electric micro-hatch was never conceived for combustion power.
It’s likely that the motivation behind the extensive re-engineering exercise is to broaden the appeal of the Fiat 500e in the face of slowing demand for EVs globally, and to allow the Italian car-maker to finally kill off the 17-year-old Fiat 500.
The announcement was made this week after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares met with Italian unions, which have been lobbying the company to make cheaper, higher-volume models in Italy.
The first internal combustion-powered version of the Fiat 500e, which was first launched in 2020, will reportedly incorporate a mild-hybrid petrol engine, but range-extender electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains are also possible.
The Fiat 500e is expected to be fitted with a version of the 52kW 1.0-litre three-cylinder mild-hybrid engine seen in the old petrol-powered Fiat 500, which has already been axed in Europe due to new safety and cybersecurity regulations from July 2024, but remains on sale alongside the new Fiat
Production of the previous-generation Fiat 500 – first released in 2007 – has now ended in Poland, but according to Automotive News it will now be manufactured in Algeria for Africa and the Middle East.
However, the old Fiat 500 is unlikely to continue on sale in Australia because it’s not fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), which will become mandatory for all new vehicle sold here from March 2025.
According to Reuters, FIM-Cisl union leader Ferdinando Uliano said production of the Fiat 500e hybrid will start in the first quarter of 2026.
Increasing the level of difficulty with adapting the battery-electric 500e to ICE power is the fact it was conceived before Fiat was merged with the PSA Group to form Stellantis.
The all-electric city-car is based on the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Mito light hatch that was axed six years ago – not the Common Modular Architecture (CMA) that was engineered to accept both electric and ICE powertrains and underpins models like the Peugeot 208 and Jeep Avenger.
While the ICE version will be built alongside the Fiat 500e in Mirafiori, as part of a deal with Italian unions Stellantis also announced it will push ahead with plans to produce a new hybrid version of the Jeep Compass at its Melfi plant in southern Italy.
In line with the Italian government’s wishes, Stellantis plans to increase its annual production in Italy to one million units by 2030.
Stellantis is the last remaining mainstream/volume car-maker in Italy, where it produces Fiat, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Maserati, Peugeot, Opel, Citroen, Vauxhall and Dodge vehicles.
“Those announcements complement the recent ones made for a new generation of battery to make the iconic Fiat 500e even more appealing to customers and the industrial extension of the Fiat Panda hybrid in Pomigliano,” said Stellantis in a statement.
“The supply of those new hybrid models will contribute positively to the workload of Termoli plant and Mirafiori e-DCT transmissions plants for the coming years.”
Related: Fiat 500e 2023 Review
Related: All-new electric 2020 Fiat 500e makes debut
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