Introduction
Outside of California and Oregon, few people know of the Fiat 500e's existence. It is what's known as a compliance car, one developed to meet the Golden State's zero-emission vehicle requirements. According to California law, automakers of a certain size need at least a small portion of their sales volume comes from zero-emission vehicles. The 2019 Fiat 500e is how the Italian brand is getting by in this regard, but, unfortunately, it offers one of the lowest ranges of any electric vehicle.
What's New for 2019
The Fiat 500e is unchanged. This model rolled out for the 2013 model year, which was one year after the standard 500’s North American reintroduction.
Choosing Your Fiat 500e
The 2019 Fiat 500e has an EPA-estimated range of 84 miles, although the regenerative braking systems allows more miles to be added while the vehicle is in use. It takes approximately four hours to charge the 500e while connected to a Level 2 charger.
It's powered by an 83-kilowatt electric motor that produces 111 horsepower. Power is routed to the front wheels by means of a single-speed transmission. The 500e achieves 121 miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (MPGe) city, 103 MPGe highway, and 112 combined, according to the EPA.
The Fiat 500e is a four-passenger, two-door subcompact hatchback. Standard features includes a 5-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and voice command, a 7-inch driver display in the instrument cluster, one USB port, and an Alpine audio system. Standard safety features include a rearview camera, a rear parking assist system, and a security alarm with an engine immobilizer.
It's available in two trims:
Base
The base Fiat 500e starts at $34,705 (all prices include a $1,495 destination charge). The list of standard equipment includes fog lights, heated and power-controlled side mirrors, 15-inch painted aluminum wheels, and a rear spoiler. Inside, Fiat equips this model with full power accessories, a power tilt steering column, imitation leather seats, heated front seats, and automatic climate control.
The All Weather Package by Mopar ($225) adds a cargo tray and slush mats. The only extra-cost options available are white tri-coat exterior paint ($500), a power sunroof ($795), and black and white interior accents ($395).
E-Sport
Fiat calls the E-Sport a separate trim in its press materials, but it's really an appearance package. The 500e E-Sport starts at $35,200, or $495 more than the base model. The changes are purely cosmetic. The E-Sport only adds black-trimmed headlights, orange side mirror caps, an orange body-side stripe, and black 15-inch wheels with orange trim.
The 2019 Fiat 500e is only available in California and Oregon, but even there you'll still probably have to order it, as dealer stock is kept to a bare minimum. Federal and state tax incentives can lower the final cost for those interested, and they may also uncover special privileges, such as access to highway HOV lanes.
How Does CarsDirect Work?
Our FREE service is simple:
- Choose the Car You Want
- See the CarsDirect Price to Use in Your Negotiation at the Dealership
- Get Matched with a Trusted Dealer Near You
- Drive away HAPPY in your new car!
