Fiat’s new hybrid 500e small car is expected to sell around 100,000 to 110,000 units every year, according to a senior executive. The company is introducing this hybrid version to offer a more affordable option compared to its fully electric model.
Stellantis, the company that owns Fiat, recently announced plans to produce hybrid versions of its 500e electric car and Jeep Compass SUV in Italy. This decision comes as electric car sales slow down worldwide.
The hybrid 500e will use both a petrol engine and a battery, but it won’t require plugging in like the fully electric version. Gaetano Thorel, who leads the Fiat brand in Europe, explained that there’s a strong demand for this hybrid model, especially among customers who find the fully electric version too expensive. Last year, the fully electric 500e sold fewer than 80,000 units.
The hybrid 500e will share the same platform as the fully electric version, and Fiat plans to phase out the old petrol-powered and hybrid versions of the 500. These older models were made in Poland.
The starting price for the fully electric 500e is around 29,000 euros, excluding any government incentives. It’s also being introduced in the United States. Francois Olivier, the CEO of the Fiat brand, mentioned that the hybrid 500e will cost slightly more than the models made in Poland, but it will offer added technological features.
Production of the hybrid 500e is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 at the Mirafiori complex in Turin, Italy, where Fiat’s headquarters are located.
