CEO of the Fiat brand officially confirmed the plan to launch the Fiat 500e electric car in the US at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The brand's electric strategy will be led by the new Fiat 500e, which will hit the market in the US in early 2024. This will be the next step in Fiat's global journey and expansion outside Europe, this time to the North American market.
"Since 1899, the Fiat brand has played an essential part in the development of mobility, not only producing automobiles for a diverse range of clients but also carrying out a social mission and, riding the wave of popularity, asking the question 'what next?'" Olivier Francois is the CEO of the Fiat brand and the Stellantis Group's global marketing director. "We are dealing with a worldwide revolution today more than ever before, which means that customers are seeking more than just a car, and we want to keep their demands in mind. The new Fiat 500e is more than just an electric car; it is a societal endeavor designed to satisfy America's need for change toward more sustainable mobility. Because it is the right decision, we want to introduce electric cars to America with our iconic Fiat 500 electric car. As a company, we must carve new routes, and it will be an honor for our new Fiat 500e to assist us in doing so. However, it is a commitment at the level of human relations."
The automotive sector is undergoing enormous transformations as it moves toward sustainable transportation. And the FIAT brand is well-positioned to play a vital role in this change in the United States, with the legendary Fiat 500e encouraging many Americans to switch to electric vehicles. The new Fiat 500e electric car is regarded as the ultimate "cool automobile," a small electric car with an Italian design and a one-of-a-kind fashion piece. You'll have to go electric if you want it because it will be the only one available in North America.
The transition to electrification is about more than just technology; it is also about reinventing the customer experience to meet the different requirements of people and the earth.
During the press conference, Olivier Francois presented the Fiat brand's intentions for North America. He announced that the Fiat 500e electric car will make its North American debut next year at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2023. In the first quarter of 2024, the new model will be available.
Three one-of-a-kind versions of the Fiat 500e from Armani, Bvlgari, and Kartell were displayed during the press conference—three exclusive interpretations that showcase Italian craftsmanship, inventiveness, and luxury. Three unique concept models express the three kinds of the new Fiat 500e electric city car: sustainable design, sustainable fashion, and sustainable luxury, following the Fiat brand's sustainable development objective.
Only the undisputed monarch of Italian elegance, Giorgio Armani, could afford to express this style. In the name of timeless tailoring and sustainability, the haut fashion house decided to design its version of the Fiat 500 electric, the 500 Armani. Armani planned to shape (and eventually etch) the metal bodywork using laser technology to give it the illusion of a three-dimensional fabric, generating a two-tone aesthetic without adding polluting paint. The Armani gray-green color further emphasized the silk illusion. Furthermore, the matte paint on the bodywork is a unique and environmentally friendly product: a transparent topcoat. It decreases air pollution and even microorganisms when activated by UV light.
While the "GA" emblem enhances the look of the rims and personalizes the fabric of the sunroof, the amber-colored windows bring the whole thing together.
The curving and sculptural insert of the dashboard, covered in porous wood and embellished with small aluminum inlays, emphasizes the naturalness and authenticity of the materials, drawing influence from the elegant and contemporary lines of Armani Casa.
The Fiat 500e Kartell, a legendary brand of Italian industrial design continually experimenting and exploring new aesthetic solutions and purposes for plastics, was inspired by creativity and invention. Kartell has also been involved in creating increasingly sustainable plastics in recent years. 500e Kartell is the ideal combination of materials that come together to create an object of simple contemporary design.
The "monoblock color" concept is employed on the body, where different materials (metal, glass, rubber, plastic, and fabric) are translated into the same shade: Kartell blue is a variation of Yves Klein blue, the brand's well-known and iconic color. The bodywork is wrapped with Kartell blue mirror effect paint, which was created using ecologically friendly blue chrome paint. The emblems of both brands stand out on the body, which has been coated with sandblasted polycarbonate to provide a sense of materiality and depth.
Aside from the color effect, the most symbolic aspects of the exterior are the pieces formed from recycled polycarbonate mirrors from end-of-life headlights. The front grille, wheel rims, and mirror housings are all examples of this. These parts are inspired by the pattern of the Kartell Kabuki lamp, developed and constructed by designer Ferruccio Laviani as the leitmotiv of the new automobile's identity, with unique details that follow the texture of the light and become individual elements of the car. The Kabuki design is evident inside the electric car. It is on the polycarbonate cover of the dashboard and as a transparent appliqué on the seats.
The contrast between the exterior's Kartell blue color and the brilliant inside is dramatic, conveying a sense of purity and brightness while blending warm and cool tones. The textile-textured polymers used in the interiors are 100% recycled polypropylene, as are the chairs from the newest Kartella line and natural-looking fabrics made entirely of recycled polyester.
The Fiat B.500 Bvlgari "MAI TROPPO" is a one-of-a-kind tribute to craftsmanship and beauty. The Fiat 500 has long been a symbol of the Italian "dolce vita," a love of beauty and art. Bvlgari, a mark of Italian quality, is the modern translator of these ideals, a company that has been developing over the years, altering the rules of global jewelry and creating new trends that have become icons of the current design. The new Fiat 500e electric car is a true "jewel," with an interior built of rich materials, meticulous attention to detail, and distinctive finishes that conjure bright, one-of-a-kind color and pattern combinations, emphasizing Bulgari's Roman origins.
The one-of-a-kind version is finished with a saffron-colored pearl lacquer, an iconic Bvlgari color inspired by the color spectrum of Roman sunsets. This appearance is complemented by the varnish hues created via the expert application of the hand process. The "saffron" paint color highlights the car's jewelry aspect by including gold dust derived from jewelry manufacturing wastes. As a result, the electric vehicle is environmentally friendly and emits its own light. In addition to the gold paint, the B.500 has protective covers on the door sills and enamel elements on the front; the whole is completed by specially designed star-shaped rims, Bvlgari's historical symbol, painted black with gold trim, and a polished gold "gem" emblem on the side with a diamond B logo.
The turquoise leather seats include an embroidered "Diva" design, gold embellishments, and scarf inserts. The three precious stones: amethyst, topaz, and citrine, set in a detachable brooch fashioned by skilled goldsmiths at Bvlgari and put in the center of the steering wheel, are the true jewels of the interior.
