Stellantis has confirmed production of a mild-hybrid version of the Fiat 500e, its small electric car. Adapting an EV to make an ICE model isn’t something you see every day, but it’s an understandable move as Stellantis aims to give the Fiat brand a second wind in Europe and revive industrial activity at the Mirafiori plant in Turin.
Return of the gas engine in a car designed as an EV
Currently offered only in a 100-percent electric version, the Fiat 500e will thus soon be available with a mild-hybrid powertrain. It’s an interesting challenge, given that adapting a platform dedicated to EVs to integrate a combustion engine requires significant modifications.
But for Fiat, it’s the only solution to compensate for the end of production of the old gasoline-powered Fiat 500, withdrawn from the market in June 2024 due to non-compliance with new European safety standards.
An industrial strategy serving the recovery
Preliminary production has already begun at the Mirafiori plant, and Stellantis anticipates an official launch in November 2025.
This return to a hybrid powertrain will allow Fiat to offer a more affordable alternative than the electric version while meeting the demands of the Italian government, which wants to maintain a car production volume of at least one million vehicles per year.
This project is also seen as a reassuring sign for unions, concerned about the decline in 500e production. Indeed, European sales of the latter have fallen from 9,308 units in the first quarter of 2024 to only 4,288 in 2025, according to Dataforce.
A difficult context for Italian production
Last year, overall car production in Italy fell to its lowest level in nearly 70 years. In December, Stellantis unveiled a recovery plan for its Italian facilities, but the effects of that won’t be felt until 2026. Production of the hybrid version of the 500 will buy time and ensure a temporary transition in a context of industrial change.
A city car adapted to the North American market?
Although the Fiat 500e is offered in some North American markets, notably in Canada as an electric city car, Stellantis hasn’t confirmed whether the mild-hybrid version will cross the Atlantic. However, that configuration could meet a growing demand for affordable urban vehicles, especially in cities where charging infrastructure remains limited.
With the announcement of a mild-hybrid Fiat 500e, Stellantis is banking on a bold solution to stabilize its Italian production while maintaining the commercial relevance of the 500 city car. A risky bet technically, but one that could prove profitable in the European market... and perhaps even the North American one.