Fiat is gradually rolling out more variants of the electric 500e. The latest addition to the range is a California-themed model called Inspired by Los Angeles that stands out with a handful of trim-specific styling cues, including an exclusive paint color, and a lofty price tag.
The blue-ish gray (or gray-ish blue?) color is called Marine Layer Mist, and it was chosen for a very specific reason. Fiat explains that this shade is named after “the coastal marine layer that results from air masses of different temperatures and densities interacting, a natural phenomenon from May through June that gives the City of Angels a magical and complex feel.” Gray mirror caps add a touch of contrast.
Inside, there’s beige upholstery, a soft-touch steering wheel, and a Marine Layer Mist dashboard insert. Fiat also threw in a seven-speaker sound system with an amplifier and a subwoofer; it includes four Virtual Venues, or sound modes, picked by Italian singer Andrea Bocelli.
Fiat hasn’t made any drivetrain changes. Power for the 500e comes from a single electric motor that draws electricity from a 42-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack to zap the front wheels with 117 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Range checks in at up to 149 miles.
Level 2 driving technology comes standard. It relies on the adaptive cruise control and the lane-keeping system to assist the driver on select roads. It does not make the 500e fully autonomous, or even hands-free, but Fiat notes the hatchback is the only EV in its segment to offer Level 2 capabilities.
Pricing starts at $37,595 including a $1,595 destination charge, so the 500e has shifted light-years away from its roots as an affordable people’s car. For context, the 500e RED announced in December 2023 starts at $34,095 and the last-generation model released in 2007 and still sold new in some European markets (at least until later in 2024) costs €17,700 (about $19,200 at the current conversion rate) in Italy.
Built in Turin, Italy, the 500e Inspired by Los Angeles is on-sale now and deliveries are scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2024. Every 500e regardless of trim comes with a Level 2 home charger or charging credits valid in the Free2move charging network. Looking ahead, the 500 range will grow with the addition of a hybrid model, though there’s no word on whether this model will be sold in the United States.
