Fiat has removed the Fiat 500 and Abarth 595 from sale in the UK, after the original "new 500" was launched 17 years ago in 2007. Fiat launched the new electric 500e back in 2020 and this model will remain on sale. Going forward, Fiat will be launching a new 500 Ibrida, which for all for all intents and purposes is a hybrid version of the 500e. Fiat will use the same 1.0-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine we saw on the outgoing model and this is planned to launch in early 2025.
The combustion Fiat 500 was built in Tychy, Poland but Fiat is moving production to the same factory as the 500e in Turin.
Fiat has cited the reasons for going back to hybrid and CEO Olivier Françoishe told Autocar the following:
"It's very important for us to fit every expectation wherever we go. We obviously, like everyone else, thought that the world would go electric faster and the cost of electrification would go down faster. But we couldn't imagine that Covid would happen, shortage of raw materials would happen [and] the European society – not all, not the youngest part – would turn their backs on the sustainable solutions. But this is the reality. We have to face those realities."
Also this week, Fiat has dropped the ageing Panda from the lineup in the UK and will be soon replaced by the Grande Panda which will be available as an EV. Until the new Grande Panda launches in December, the only two cars offered brand new from Fiat is the 500e and the 600.
