Fiat 500: is the new 100% electric city car the best in its segment?

Gareth J. Hargreaves • August 19, 2026 18:39

For more than 50 years, the Fiat 500 has stayed true to the signature lines that define it. Now it has been reinvented as a 100% electric model, with the clear aim of remaining the sales success it has always been.

After driving it in Turin, we met up again with the small Italian city car-this time in Lisbon-where Diogo Teixeira had the chance to put it through its paces while trying to answer one question: could this be the best 100% electric option in the segment?

Retro looks, upgraded cabin tech in the Fiat 500

With the Honda e as its main rival, the new Fiat 500 keeps the retro styling that has served it so well, but it also receives a significant technology boost. Much of that update is immediately noticeable inside, where details such as the new digital instrument panel and the new UConnect 5 infotainment system-featuring a 10,25” screen and wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay-“jump” out at you.

Three body styles: 3-door, Cabrio and 3+1

And it is not just the cabin that brings choice. The little Italian arrives in not one, not two, but three body styles. Alongside the three-door and cabriolet versions, there is now the 3+1 variant, which adds a small rear-hinged side door-like the Mazda MX-30 and BMW i3-on the passenger side.

Two motors, two batteries

The broader line-up is not limited to bodywork: there are also options for power output and battery size. The entry-level model, in Action trim and available only as a three-door, comes with a less powerful electric motor producing 95 cv (70 kW), paired with a smaller 23,8 kWh battery.

This version supports DC rapid charging up to 50 kW and delivers a range of 180 km (WLTP cycle) or 240 km (WLTP city cycle). In performance terms, the 500 reaches 100 km/h in 9,5 seconds, with top speed limited to 135 km/h.

All other versions use a 118 cv (87 kW) motor supplied by a 42 kWh battery, for a range of 320 km (WLTP cycle) to 460 km (WLTP city cycle). As for performance, it can reach 50 km/h in 3,1s, 100 km/h in 9s, and a limited top speed of 150 km/h.

What about charging?

Overall, the Fiat 500 offers three driving modes: Normal, Range and Sherpa. When it comes to charging, as you would expect, the maximum rapid-charging capability depends on which battery the Turin brand’s city car is fitted with.

Starting with the smaller 23,8 kWh battery, Fiat 500 models equipped with it feature a 50 kW rapid-charging system that can add around 50 km of range in about 10 minutes. It can also be charged at home using a Mode 2 cable (3 kW), or at public charge points or a wallbox using a three-phase Mode 3 cable rated at 11 kW.

With the 42 kW battery, Fiat 500 models gain an 85 kW rapid-charging system. That means it takes just 5 minutes to add 50 km of range, and only 35 minutes to recharge the battery to 80%.

In addition, this battery can be topped up from a socket of up to 3 kW or from a wallbox of up to 7,4 kW-where a full charge can be completed in six hours.