Small city cars have always been a lucrative opportunity for manufacturers opting for the electrified track, and Fiat is the last manufacturer to present its brand new fully electrified 500th. The small footprint and relatively simple driving requirements of city cars provide the perfect opportunity to fill an electric motor with decent range, while benefiting from cities with efficient charging infrastructure in place. While the 500th will appeal to those looking to be early adopters and smart mobility users, there is still a part of the market that relies on internal combustion engines to power their vehicles, and Fiat knows it.
While the 500th is their latest foray into the world of electric vehicles, Fiat has clearly stated that it will not replace the current model of the Fiat 500. The 500th was built from scratch to be an EV, and the 500 will continue to be sold alongside it as a hybrid and combustion engine. In discussions with Autocar UK, Fiat boss Olivier François said: “We will continue to offer the 500 petrol engine as long as there is real demand. [from buyers]. “François also said that the EV platform is aimed at more premium buyers, while the existing model is targeting a lower price. This bipolar strategy aims to complement the fact that sales of the Fiat 500 are bipolar in nature and are dominated by basic models or higher variants.
In addition, even if François says that the opportunities for electric vehicles are greater than ever, the timing must be adapted to each country or market. “We have to be ready. Today, there is already a demand, and we know it will explode due to regulations. But we don’t know at what level it will explode. We now have a large nameplate with two approaches, and we will continue to offer the classic 500. The electric 500 is more a revolution than an evolution, so we will propose a revolution and an evolution. As long as there is a demand for the latter, we will continue to to propose.
Small city cars have always been a lucrative opportunity for manufacturers opting for the electrified track, and Fiat is the last manufacturer to present its brand new fully electrified 500th. The small footprint and relatively simple driving requirements of city cars provide the perfect opportunity to fill an electric motor with decent range, while benefiting from cities with efficient charging infrastructure in place. While the 500th will appeal to those looking to be early adopters and smart mobility users, there is still a part of the market that relies on internal combustion engines to power their vehicles, and Fiat knows it.
While the 500th is their latest foray into the world of electric vehicles, Fiat has clearly stated that it will not replace the current model of the Fiat 500. The 500th was built from scratch to be an EV, and the 500 will continue to be sold alongside it as a hybrid and combustion engine. In discussions with Autocar UK, Fiat boss Olivier François said: “We will continue to offer the 500 petrol engine as long as there is real demand. [from buyers]. “François also said that the EV platform is aimed at more premium buyers, while the existing model is targeting a lower price. This bipolar strategy aims to complement the fact that sales of the Fiat 500 are bipolar in nature and are dominated by basic models or higher variants.
In addition, even if François says that the opportunities for electric vehicles are greater than ever, the timing must be adapted to each country or market. “We have to be ready. Today, there is already a demand, and we know it will explode due to regulations. But we don’t know at what level it will explode. We now have a large nameplate with two approaches, and we will continue to offer the classic 500. The electric 500 is more a revolution than an evolution, so we will propose a revolution and an evolution. As long as there is a demand for the latter, we will continue to to propose.