Fiat has announced that it has reduced the price of their 500e city car to £21,995, making it one of the cheapest electric models on sale in the UK.
The announcement comes 12 months after the famous Italian company introduced an “e-Grant” of £3,000 for the electric versions of the 500 and 600.
Damien Dally, Managing Director of Fiat UK, hopes that the new price encourages more motorists to make the switch to an electric car.
He explained: “At Fiat, we believe in electric for all. We believe it’s crucial that we continue to work towards making electric vehicles more accessible and affordable for people across the UK.
“That’s why we’re putting our money where our mouth is again to encourage customers to go electric. Our effort to reduce prices means the Fiat 500e is now one of the most affordable electric vehicles you can drive today, which we are proud to be able to say.”
A substantial revision of the petrol-powered version that was introduced in 2007, the Fiat 500e offers retro styling that was inspired by the Fiat Nuova 500 from 1957.
This includes a set of bug eye-like round headlights, a compact clamshell grille and a large “500” badge in place of a conventional grille.
Nevertheless, the interior is rather up-to-the-minute, swapping the colour-coded dashboard in favour of a fabric-wrapped alternative and adding a large touchscreen.
Entry level variants of the Fiat 500e feature a 24kWh battery pack and 90bhp motor, giving the city car a range of 118 miles, making it useful for city driving.
Those wanting to travel further can also opt for a long-range variant, which has a 42kWh battery that can cover up to 199 miles per charge, as well as a 118bhp electric motor.
All models are also fairly well equipped, featuring a 10.25-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, 16-inch alloy wheels, and automatic air conditioning.
However, Fiat are by no means the only car company trying to make electric vehicles more affordable, with various companies introducing budget models to their range.
Dacia has began to take orders for the spring, a similarly-sized electric four-seater that is priced from £14,995, with deliveries set to begin in Autumn 2024.
The Chinese car brand BYD are also planning to introduce the Seagull to the UK in 2025, another small model that has been a hit in various parts of Asia and South America.
