Fiat launched the current-generation 500 electric in March 2020, but the cute hatchback is yet to feature in US specs. According to a teaser shared on social media channels, the case will be released tomorrow at the dawn of the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. Bear in mind this official preview depicts a Euro model but we expect the North American variant to look pretty much the same inside and out.
Although Fiat also sold a slightly more practical 3+1 version on the Old Continent with a small suicide door on the passenger side, Americans tended to just get the conventional body style. Not that we’re complaining considering the Italian marque currently only has one model, the 500X, so any new addition to its lineup is very welcome.
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Technical specifications remain shrouded in mystery for now, but we would remind you that the new Fiat 500 on sale in Europe can be had with a choice between a 24 or 42 kWh battery pack. The electric motor sends 117 horsepower and 220 Newton-meters (162 pound-feet) of torque to the front wheels in an electric hatchback that weighs around 3,100 pounds (1,400 kilograms) at its heaviest specification.
With a smaller battery, the Fiat 500 has a range of 115 miles (185 kilometers) in the WLTP cycle. Stepping up to the larger pack, you get enough juice to go 199 miles (320 kilometers). If history has taught us anything, it’s that the EPA’s rating would be lower than that of the WLTP. The US-spec car will likely get the larger of two batteries, but if it also has the entry-level package, its range could be on par with the 100-mile Mazda MX-30, the shortest-range EV currently on the market. OUR.
As a final note, the previous generation 500 and 500e were knocked out of the US in the second half of 2019 when Fiat ended production of both versions for North America. The Abarth derivative is also being phased out, and by the way, the high-performance derivative of the new EV will be closing on November 22nd for the European market.
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