Fiat’s new EV looks like the anti-Cybertruck

Last week, Tesla dropped specifications connected nan Cybertruck and maxed-out Cyberbeast. After each that talk of supersized trucks, nan North American merchandise of nan Fiat 500e buggy hits for illustration a frosty mug of crystal water.

Fiat’s owner, Stellantis, said it would bring nan popular li’l EV to North America next year (it debuted successful Europe successful 2020). Today, we learned much astir nan 2024 500e for North America, including its starting value and first availability.

Stellantis made nary mention of subscriptions aliases car-sharing successful its announcement Tuesday, contempt nan marque allegedly exploring “alternative business models” for nan U.S. Instead, Stellantis said nan 500e will deed North American showrooms during nan first 4th of 2024, starting pinch a Product Red model, successful collaboration pinch nan AIDS-fighting group co-founded by U2’s Bono.

The 500e contrasts nan Cyberbeast successful conscionable astir each way. It’s a small espresso changeable aft Elon Musk’s groggy-coded Cybertruck event. Fiat said nan Red version of nan 3,000-pound 500e packs a 149-mile scope and a starting value of $32,500. Meanwhile, nan 6,843-pound Tesla pickup features an estimated 320-mile scope and a $99,990 value tag. There’s nary logic these 2 vehicles would stock galore similarities, speech from being electrics. Still, nan opposition betwixt nan automakers’ successive announcements is stark.

The 500e’s mini stature and scope whitethorn not look to beryllium upsides, particularly successful nan maximalist North American car market. Yet, location are immoderate superior perks arsenic acold arsenic nan ambiance goes. Smaller cars are mostly amended for nan climate, since they request less power and less materials overall.

Fiat is besides focused connected serving dense cities pinch nan 500e. In contrast, nan Cybertruck and different ample pickups would astir apt choke nan constrictive roadways Fiat built nan 500 for successful Europe.

Beyond nan Red edition, Fiat said it plans to “drop” different 500e variants gradually to “keep nan conveyance caller and interesting.” Fiat didn’t elaborate connected erstwhile different variants will debut successful North America, but nan automaker added that each version will get “in a constricted quantity.”