The FIAT brand of Stellantis in Auburn Hills Thursday unveiled plans to bring the fully electric Fiat 500e to the North America in early 2024. The announcement took place at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
“Since 1899, FIAT has played a role in developing mobility, not only delivering vehicles to the masses, but also pursuing a social mission and riding the wave of what’s next,” says Olivier Francois, CEO of FIAT and global CMO for Stellantis. “Today, more than ever, we are facing a global revolution, which means that customers are looking for more than just a car and we intend to embrace their changing needs.
“The new 500e is more than a car, it is a social project to feed America’s appetite for change toward sustainable mobility. We want to introduce America to EVs with our icon, the Fiat 500, because this is the right thing to do. On a corporate side, we need to trailblaze new pathways and it will be a privilege for our new 500 to help lead change.”
Francois announced that the official reveal of the North American 500e will take place next year at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show.
On stage during the press conference, FIAT showed three 500e one-off concepts, designed by Armani, Kartell, and Bvlgari. These three exclusive pieces reflect Italian craftsmanship, creativity, and sophistication, according to FIAT.
The 500 Giorgio Armani used laser technology to shape the metal covering of the car’s bodywork (and eventually etching it) with exclusive micro-chevron engraving, bringing it as close as possible to the three dimensions of a fabric and creating a two-tone effect without adding polluting paint. The result is further enhanced by an Armani gray/green “silk effect” color. In addition, the opaque paint used for the exterior is a sustainable product: a transparent top coat activated by UV light that reduces air pollutants and bacteria.
The 500 Kartell’s exterior features a monoblock color concept where different types of materials — metal, glass, rubber, plastic, and fabric — are interpreted in the same color: Kartell blue derived from Yves Klein blue, a universally recognized color iconic to the brand. The surfaces of the bodywork are mirror-effect Kartell blue, obtained using a blue Kartell mirror effect obtained with an environmentally friendly chrome paint. The two brands’ logos stand out from the bodywork, thanks to treatment with a sandblasted polycarbonate, to convey a sense of material and depth.
The B.500 Mai Troppo by Bvlgari pays homage to craftsmanship and beauty, FIAT says. With an interior using the finest materials, embellished by attention to detail and finishes that recall the vivid combinations of colors and motifs that exalt Bvlgari’s Roman origins, Mai Troppo (which means never too much) could take no other name. The concept vehicle features a saffron-colored pearlescent paint, an iconic shade at Bvlgari inspired by the chromatic variegation of Roman sunsets.
This effect is enhanced by a nuance in the paint produced by a professional hands-on technique. The “saffron” paint emphasizes the character of the car as a jewel, based on the inclusion of gold powder recovered from the scraps of jewelry production. The result: an environmentally friendly car, resplendent in its own light.
