Fiat is ready to rejuvenate its iconic 500 mannequin by introducing a brand new gas-electric hybrid model, aiming to supply an inexpensive, however nonetheless fuel-efficient, different to its absolutely electrical counterpart.
This transfer comes as Stellantis, Fiat’s guardian firm, responds to shifting market dynamics and shopper preferences. The automaker is anticipated to unveil the manufacturing mannequin this November.
Technical Specs
Fiat beforehand bought a 500 hybrid in Europe however needed to discontinue the mannequin final 12 months as a result of new EU cybersecurity laws that rendered it non-compliant.
The hybrid powertrain for the brand new mannequin features a 1.0L FireFly 3-cyl. being manufactured in Termoli, Italy. This engine is already utilized in different fashions together with the Fiat Panda Hybrid, however it’s being revised for this new hybrid model. Fiat says the engine will likely be mated to a 6-speed guide gearbox.
Constructed on the STLA Metropolis platform – the identical as the electrical 500e – the hybrid mannequin will share design components and technological options with its absolutely electrical sibling, together with the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a ten.25-in. (26-cm) touchscreen, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Stage 2 autonomous driving capabilities.
Manufacturing and Market Technique
Manufacturing of the Fiat 500 Hybrid is scheduled to start in November on the Mirafiori Meeting Plant in Turin, Italy. Stellantis goals to provide over 100,000 items yearly to fulfill anticipated demand.
The five hundred hybrid is a part of Stellantis’s broader technique to increase its hybrid lineup in Europe, with plans to supply 36 hybrid fashions throughout its manufacturers by 2026.
The hybrid 500 is anticipated to be priced barely above the prior-generation Poland-assembled 70-hp FireFly 1.0L hybrid mannequin, beginning at roughly $19,440 (€18,000), making it a extra inexpensive choice in comparison with the absolutely electrical 500e, which begins at round $32,560 (€29,000).
In 2023, world gross sales of the Fiat 500 mannequin have been 112,567 items, per firm studies. This represented a major decline from earlier years, reflecting shifting market dynamics and elevated competitors within the metropolis automotive/compact automotive section. World gross sales in 2024 have been off 11% from the 12 months earlier. That means Stellantis’s aim of 100,000 gross sales for the revised 500 lineup is perhaps in step with market demand.
North American Prospects
At the moment, there are not any confirmed plans to introduce the Fiat 500 Hybrid to the North American market. Fiat’s focus within the U.S. stays on the all-electric 500e. Nonetheless, given the rising curiosity in hybrid autos, Stellantis may think about increasing the hybrid 500’s availability to North America sooner or later, although the present Trump Admin. tariffs would play an enormous position in that call.
Fiat’s reintroduction to the U.S. market in 2011 was met with enthusiasm, however the model has struggled to take care of traction within the years since. In 2018, Fiat bought about 15,500 autos within the U.S., per Wards Intelligence knowledge, a 41% decline from the earlier 12 months. By 2024, gross sales had plummeted to only 1,528 items, regardless of a 153% quantity enhance over the prior 12 months, highlighting the model’s marginal presence within the U.S. market. At present, it simply sells the 500e. Stellantis is reviewing its model distribution technique this 12 months however has not but introduced if it’ll proceed with Fiat in North America.
The decline in U.S. gross sales has been mirrored by a discount in Fiat dealerships throughout the nation. In 2024 alone, the model misplaced 20 franchises, reflecting the challenges confronted by sellers in sustaining profitability amid dwindling demand. It nonetheless has over 300 gross sales factors, however they’re all mixture shops with different Stellantis manufacturers.
