Fiat 500 Hybrid: Electric hatch re-engineered for petrol engine, manual transmission

The Fiat 500 has finally been given a petrol-powered successor, but its journey to production is twistier than the Stelvio pass.

That’s because the new 500 Hybrid is based on the third-generation 500 – also known as the 500e – that was designed only for electric drivetrains.

Under the bonnet is a mild-hybrid drivetrain featuring Fiat’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. It drives the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.

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Fiat has yet to provide the 500 Hybrid’s power, torque, performance or fuel economy figures. However, the same drivetrain was used in the second-generation 500, and produced 52kW and 92Nm.

The 500e is offered with two electric drivetrains: an entry-level 70kW motor paired with a 24kWh battery, and a punchier 87kW motor with a 42kWh battery.

Externally there’s only one major change: a small rectangular grille in the front bumper, below the 500 badge, to let allow more air into the engine bay. At the rear, the 500e badge has been replaced with a Hybrid one.

Like the exterior, the interior is basically the same as the 500e, with the Hybrid set to feature a 7.0-inch instrumentation display, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen running Fiat’s uConnect 5 infotainment software with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

According to Motor1, the 500 Hybrid will retail for around €17,000 (A$30,700) in Italy. In its homeland, the official list price for the 500e is €29,950 (A$54,000), but the company is currently offering a deal that brings the total price down to €22,905 (A$41,300).

It’s unclear how much re-engineering took place, but Fiat announced last year it would spend €100 million (A$180 million) to upgrade the 500’s factory, as well as upgrade the 500’s platform for improved EV performance and to accept a petrol engine.

Launched in 2020, the 500e was one of the last products engineered by Fiat Chrysler before it merged with Groupe PSA – parent of Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel and Vauxhall – to form Stellantis.

Early in its life the 500e was the most popular EV in Italy, and the car managed around 65,000 sales in Europe in 2023. Sales have tapered off badly, though, with only 25,000 finding new homes last year.

Combined with the withdrawal of the second-generation 500 from EU markets due to cybersecurity regulations in 2024, Fiat’s share of the city car segment has dropped dramatically.

Production of the 500 Hybrid will take place alongside the electric 500e at Fiat’s factory in Mirafiori, on the outskirts of Turin.

The first showroom-bound 500 Hybrids will begin trundling out of the plant in November, and while only 5000 will be made this year, Fiat is expecting to make 100,000 per year when production ramps up.

The 500 Hybrid will be available in all of the 500e’s body styles: three-door hatch, convertible, and Trepiuno, which features an additional small, reverse-hinged door on the passenger’s side. The latter is only available in left-hand drive.

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