Fiat 500e: from electric car to a Mild Hybrid petrol engine

The Fiat 500 returned a few years ago to revive this iconic name. In 2020 a step forward was taken with the launch of a fully electric version, which aimed to become the benchmark urban electric model. This model is built at the Mirafiori plant, and it was expected that at least 170,000 units would be produced last year. But expectations were very high and have not been met. Production was only 77,260 units, well below what was expected.

What has happened is that electric car sales have not been as high as anticipated, and orders have not been enough to make this model a profitable option for the brand. This is a major problem that slows the development of this type of vehicle and leads manufacturers to look for ways around it.

Surprising as it may seem, there are plans to convert models originally designed to be fully electric into cars powered by a combustion engine. This is the case the Stellantis Group could be considering for the electric version of the FIAT 500e.

This means the model would not be discontinued; instead, it would be modified to create a version with an ICE engine, while keeping the structure of the electric model. It would not be the hybrid FIAT 500 that currently exists, but would remain the FIAT 500e, with changes to allow it to run on this type of engine.

The news has made headlines in the Italian press and, according to the information provided, up to 100,000 units of the FIAT 500e with a combustion engine could be manufactured. Considering that planned production would be 175,000 units, more units with a combustion engine than fully electric ones would be built.

Mild Hybrid Engine

This hypothetical combustion-engine version would feature a mild hybrid system. If it used the same system as the hybrid FIAT 500, this new model would have a 1.0-litre engine producing 70 CV. That said, production of this version of the FIAT 500e would not begin until late 2025 or even early 2026.

For now, it is all a possibility, but it opens a door for other manufacturers, who may keep working with electric models even if their sales are not what they expected. The switch to combustion-engine propulsion could give cars designed as electric a new life with combustion engines.

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Fiat 500e: from electric car to a Mild Hybrid petrol engine