Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat Automobiles has announced that the 500e battery electric car will enter the US market in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024. The all-electric model has been on sale in European markets since last year, and now the manufacturer has confirmed that deliveries to American customers will start before the end of March 2024.

Fiat made the announcement at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, where it showcased numerous special variants of the 500e to highlight range of possible customizations. A total of three special variants have been modified by well-known Italian design houses, viz. Armani, Bvlgari and Kartell. They are really three very different interpretations of how the electric car could be personalized as per the buyer’s wishes.

Fiat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Olivier Francois said that customers are looking for more than just a car, and the brand intended to embrace their changing needs. He described the new 500e as a “social project” to feed U.S. customers’ appetite for change toward sustainable mobility solutions.

Speaking on the topic, CEO Francois added, “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.”

It may be noted here that the older ICE 500 was launched in 2008 and it had taken four years for the model to enter the U.S. market, while for the new electric model will take three years after its European launch to enter the American market by the time it will make debut. The previous-generation 500 was discontinued in the U.S. in 2019.

In Europe, the Fiat 500e is available in two powertrain options: 95 hp motor with 23.8-kWh battery pack or 118 hp motor with 42-kWh battery pack. The latter delivers a range of around 300 kilometers or 186 miles. It takes 9 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h or 62 mph, with a top speed of 150 km/h or 93 mph. It starts from around €30,000.

Specs of the U.S. version of the 500e will be revealed at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show. However, some auto experts are quite confident that the U.S. version of the EV will feature some minor aesthetic changes, and a larger battery pack.