Fiat will roll its first battery-electric vehicle into LA later this month.
Fiat is not only confirming it will unveil its little 500e battery-electric vehicle at the upcoming LA Auto Show, but also giving us a first look at the battery-powered minicar.
Specific details remain under wraps but the maker is believed to envision this alternative offering as more than just a compliance car meant to meet strict California zero-emissions mandates but it remains to be seen just how broad distribution will be for the Fiat 500e.
One thing’s clear: the man writing the checks for the Italian automaker, Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, isn’t exactly enamored of battery technology. He has all but abandoned electrification efforts at the U.S. side of the trans-Atlantic automaker and has derided battery vehicles as “economic lemons,” hinting that Fiat will lose about $10,000 for every 500e it builds.
The interior colors of the Fiat 500e contrast the exterior orange-and-white hues.
That doesn’t mean the maker is cutting corners and hoping consumers ignore the battery car. Like other major makers, Fiat/Chrysler has to meet minimum sales for zero-emissions vehicles in California – and 11 other states that have adopted its emissions regulations – or it could be barred from selling the rest of its line-up in the Golden State.
Fiat is saving most of the details about the 500e for the LA Auto Show, though it is expected to give a first close look at the battery car during the Sunday, November 18 American Music Awards, where it will be shown on the “green carpet.”
What these first images reveal are a variety of exterior tweaks including a contrasting white front fascio, lower side sills, new wheels and other aerodynamic body modifications clearly intended to reduce wind resistance and maximize range.
Inside, the Fiat 500e is finished in white with orange popsicle accents – a color scheme contrasting the white-on-orange exterior. There’s an all-new gauge cluster that will provide extensive information on battery status and likely offer tips on how to maximize range. It would be surprising if the maker, meanwhile, doesn’t offer some smartphone-based features such as remote charging controls. Also apparent, a shift from a conventional to a push-button shifter design.
The Fiat 500e will debut alongside a variety of other battery-based vehicles in LA, including the pure battery-electric Chevrolet Spark and a number of plug-ins such as the Honda Accord PHEV, and the Ford Fusion and C-Max Energi models.