Why is the Fiat 500e so affordable?
A breakdown of the electric Fiat 500's prices and important rivals
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The Fiat 500 electric’s price makes it one of the most attractive electric cars on sale (on top of the funky, retro styling).
With affordable new and used prices, it’s hard to ignore the electrified version of the already iconic petrol-powered model.
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Pricing of the Fiat 500e
There are a number of different Fiat 500e prices, depending on the model and spec you go for.
Fiat 500e starting prices
Fiat 500e hatchback:
Fiat 500e – £24,995
Fiat 500e La Prima – £30,995
Fiat 500e convertible:
Fiat 500e convertible – £30,995
Fiat 500e La Prime convertible – £33,995
However, if you value your pennies, you can buy a used Fiat 500e with prices ranging between £12,000 and £16,000. Note these prices will fluctuate, as will the new car ones.
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Manufacturing costs
Fiat’s Stellantis parent company has invested hundreds of millions into the 500e’s production line, according to CEO Carlos Tavares, creating new batteries, platforms and added extras.
There’s no denying electric cars are more expensive to manufacture than their petrol and diesel counterparts. This is mostly due to creating the lithium-ion batteries, which can take 18 months because it’s still fairly new technology.
However, as they become more mainstream and the technology gets better and better, the prices and times should reduce.
Battery technology
The 500e doesn’t have the most efficient battery of any electric car, but it isn’t bad at all – the perfect size for a city car.
There are two options available: 24kWh and 42kWh units, with 118 miles and 199 miles of range, respectively.
Comparison with other electric vehicles
Renault Zoe
 "Renault Zoe driving")
One of the 500e’s closest rivals is the Renault Zoe – one of the smallest cars from the French manufacturer.
It’s powered by a 52kWh battery and has up to 239 miles of range – quite a lot more than the Fiat.
Renault doesn’t make it anymore, but you can still get used examples for around £12,000, depending on the model, mileage and age.
Volkswagen e-up!
 "Volkswagen e-Up rear")
It was only a matter of time before Volkswagen entered the small EV game and the VW e-up! is another great little city car.
Powered by a 32.3kWh battery with up to 160 miles of range, it’s not going to break records, but for town and city driving, there aren’t many better options.
VW no longer makes the Up, but there are still used e-up!s for around £13,000.
Peugeot e-208
 "Peugeot e-208 rear")
Despite being owned by the same parent company, Peugeot’s e-208 is very different to the 500e. It’s more grown-up yet just as stylish and fun to drive.
It's powered by a 50kWh battery that offers up to 225 miles of range, making it ideal for first-time EV buyers.
Is the Fiat 500e a value-for-money option?
100%. If you’re looking for a small electric car that tackles cities with ease and has no problem on longer motorway journeys, it’s the car for you.
Plus, used examples are much more affordable, with finance options available to help spread the cost.
Reliability
Being electric cars, there’s very little to worry about because they tend to be more reliable than traditional combustion engines due to having fewer moving parts.
Running costs
Running costs will vary from person to person, use case to use case.
As a rule of thumb, a Fiat 500e will cost around 8p/kWh with a 7kW home charger and close to 80p/kWh with a public fast charger.
General running costs should also be fairly cheap as long as you keep up with regular maintenance.