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The 2024 Fiat 500e signals the first all-new model from the affordable Italian brand since the 500X debuted in the United States for the 2016 model year. Previously, Fiat said it would be a one-model brand in the US, based entirely around the 500e, but that direction may not be set in stone. Speaking to Aamir Ahmed, Head of Fiat Brand, North America, at the US launch for the 500e, CarBuzz learned that the Italian automaker is open to bringing more models stateside.

While the US will only get the three-door hatchback, Europe also receives a 3+1 with a rear-opening side door and a cabriolet model. When asked if these variants would be sold alongside the conventional hatchback, Ahmed had the following to say:

“Federalizing the three-door for side impact crash tests proved too difficult, but we are still studying the convertible very hard.”

An Affordable Convertible EV

It’s unfortunate that the Fiat 500e 3+1 would require too much investment in side impact crash testing because it would make the tiny city car slightly more practical for an American audience. The rear-hinged door creates a larger opening to get into the back seat, but it also changes the 500e’s structural makeup to warrant additional federalization.

As for the cabriolet, it has the same side structure as the standard hatchback, and since it retains its roof pillars just like the outgoing 500 Convertible, rollover testing may not be impacted in a major way. Bringing the convertible to the US market makes a lot of sense because Fiat would have the only affordable drop-top electric vehicle in this market.

Related

Fiat 500e May Get Optional Gas Engine

The Fiat 500e is an electric vehicle, but a gas version may unexpectedly be on the way.

Currently, the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and SUV are the only open-roof electric cars available, and the options that have been confirmed for the future aren’t exactly cheap. EV lovers looking for a convertible will have their choice of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, Polestar 6, Tesla Roadster, and, if Fisker survives, the Ronin, all of which are expected to cost well over six figures. Fiat would own the affordable convertible EV market if it decided to enter that space.

Abarth Strikes Back?

A sliding roof convertible isn’t the only 500e variant Fiat would like to bring to the US, as Ahmed seemed open to the idea of selling the hotter Abarth model here, albeit not in the exact same form as it currently exists.

The Abarth 500e sold in the European market produces 152 horsepower and 173 lb-ft of torque, which is a nice bump over the standard model’s 118 hp and 162 lb-ft. However, Ahmed believes it would take a more potent setup to make the Abarth viable in the US market. He pointed to the previous gas-powered 500 Abarth that was sold in the US; it developed 160 hp, which was the same as the European Esseesse model.

More Than The 500?

If not a cabriolet or an Abarth, Fiat could choose to bring some other product to join the 500e. In Europe, Fiat produces a larger electric hatchback called the 600e, which even spawned its own Abarth variant with 240 hp, the most of any Abarth model in history. Ahmed didn’t confirm or deny the 600e’s stateside arrival, but he did tell us to “stay tuned for more vehicles.”

He also hinted at a new global vehicle reveal that will take place in July, saying it “won’t be one of our numbered models.” This will likely be the next-generation Fiat Panda, a model that has never been sold in the US. Could that change? “That all depends on how well I do my job,” Ahmed joked.