Fiat 600 Electric SUV (2023 launch) to use eCMP & LFP battery: Report [Update]

Update: ‘Design’ and ‘Release Date’ sections updated.

The Fiat 600, first introduced in 1955, is coming back to the market in 2023 and will be available as an EV, as per a report Passione Auto Italiane released on November 5, 2022. Here’s everything we know about the Fiat 600 Electric:

Design

The report says the new Fiat 600, internally called ‘Fiat F364,’ will be a B-segment crossover measuring around 4 meters in length and 1.52 meters in height.

Spy photos of a well-camouflaged Fiat 600 test mule surfaced online in March 2023. The silhouette is typical of a modern compact crossover. It features a straight beltline, a gently-sloped roof with a trailing spoiler extension, short rear overhangs and visibly-pronounced front fenders. The new electric SUV carries similar-looking but easily-recognizable oval-shaped front lights and rectangular LED taillights as seen on the 500e hatchback.

The front fascia of the prototype was spotted with a sporty-looking but larger lower apron with a honeycomb pattern air intake, while the main grille also looks wider than the design seen on the 500e. The test mule was seen with stylish matte-black alloy wheels and a gloss-black shark fin antenna on the roof, though the door handles on the prototype appear to be conventional pull-type units.

Platform

The Passione Auto Italiane report says the 2023 Fiat 600 will sit on the multi-energy, second-gen Common Modular Platform (CMP). Using a derivative of this platform, called ‘eCMP,’ Fiat can build EVs and offer electric alternatives to its CMP-based models. The new Fiat 600 will be available in PureTech gasoline, hybrid, and electric variants, as per the report.

Specifications

Variants

On January 13, 2023, Passione Auto Italiane released a report suggesting the Fiat 600 Electric version could have a 54 kWh battery pack and the Emotors’ all-new M3 motor in the 115 kW (154 hp)/260 Nm (192 lb.-ft.) output version. This report also briefly talks about a future Abarth 600e variant with up to 240 CV (237 hp) as well.

Emotors is a joint venture between Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding and Stellantis. It makes the 115 kW (154 hp)/260 Nm (192 lb.-ft.) M3 motor for the DS 3 E-Tense, Peugeot e-208, Jeep Avenger EV, and Opel Mokka electric at its plant in Trémery, Lorraine, France.

On January 30, 2023, Passione Auto Italiane reported on a new electric variant with a 100 kW (134 hp) version of the M3 motor and a smaller 46 kWh battery pack for the Fiat 600. Going by the Italian media, two standard electric variants could be offered at launch, with an Abarth electric variant following later.

Battery

According to Instagram handle fiatpandagazette, the Fiat 600 electric variant will pack BYD’s LFP batteries, which are cheaper and less prone to shortages than typical lithium-ion NMC batteries, longer-lasting, and safer. However, LFP batteries are typically heavier than lithium-based units, and deliver a lower range. To stay competitive, the Fiat 600 Electric would need at least 400 km (249 miles) of WLTP range.

Release date

Italian reports say the Fiat 600 could debut on July 4, 2023, and reach dealers by September. Fiat reportedly plans to sell this model exclusively in Europe and targets an annual sales volume of over 100,000 units. The company could price the 600 EV from around EUR 35,000, and it remains to be seen if both combustion and electric models are available in the same timeline.

Fiat’s U.S. line-up will get a breath of fresh air when the new 2024 500e starts reaching dealerships in Q1 2024 (January-March 2024). If Fiat is serious about expanding its line-up, the 600, in the long-range version, could be a great addition.

TopElectricSUV says

The Fiat 600 pure-electric small crossover will be designed primarily for customers in the company’s core European markets. It should have dimensions that suit the narrow streets, a neo-retro design relished by Fiat lovers, a low-cost battery pack, and a spacious and practical interior.

Featured image: Fiat