Fiat 500 reverts to gas in Europe

The all-electric Fiat 500e was supposed to be the future, but changing market forced the company to introduce a mild-hybrid version.

The new Fiat 500 Hybrid will be produced at a historical industrial complex in Mirafiori District, Turin, Italy alongside its fully electric counterpart. Mass production won’t begin until November, so the company expects to deliver only 5,000 units before the end of the year. Once the Mirafiori factory reaches its nominal capacity, it is expected to churn out 100,000 examples per year.

From the design standpoint, the new Fiat 500 Hybrid is closely based on the electric version and even looks the same except for minor details. The most noticeable detail is a narrow-slit radiator grille inserted below the large “500” logo. Fiat says the Hybrid will be available in all three body styles including three-door hatchback, cabriolet and four-door hatchback. The latter has an asymmetrical body design with a small rear-hinged door at the right side.

The interior with its round instrument cluster and Uconnect 5 infotainment system complete with a 10.25-inch standalone display hasn’t changed much, either. A six-speed manual gear shifter is arguably the biggest addition here. It looks like the lever of the Fiat 500 that dropped out of production in Poland in 2024. Automatic emergency braking, lanekeeping and traffic sign recognition are all listed under options.

All propulsion is handled by a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder FireFly-series engine assisted by a 12V starter-generator. Fiat hasn’t disclosed any performance numbers yet, but the same engine powered the last generation with 70 PS (69 hp / 51 kW) and 92 Nm (68 lb-ft) of torque.

The first announcement of the car was made in late 2024, when Fiat informed the Ministry of Industry of Italy about its decision to release the hybrid. The company says the launch is proceeding with strict accordance to schedule.