Latest news with #Fiat500e
News.com.au
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
EV sales plunge forces Porsche, Fiat to slash prices across Australia
Car companies have slashed thousands of dollars from the prices of electric vehicles, with widespread discounts as buyers hit the brakes on electric vehicle sales. Electric vehicle sales in Australia are down 6 per cent compared to 2024 in the first six months of this year – and that's despite more EV options being available to customers than ever before. And we aren't just talking about the cutthroat Chinese brands reducing costs to compete – there are some surprising discounts to be had. The Porsche Macan is the most surprising offer on the table. Industry veteran Paul Gover posted on LinkedIn: 'Through all my many years in motoring I had never seen a discount on anything new from Porsche Cars Australia. Until today. 'Do Macan owners and shoppers want a Macan EV? The sales results say 'not yet' and dealers have been sounding the alarm bells for more than 18 months. Some even ordered a full year's supply of the combustion Macan before the final cut-off for production in Germany.' The German sports car specialist rarely offers deals. But Macan EV shoppers get a '$5000 Trade-In Bonus' on all cars, plus a 'Deposit Contribution' for the new plug-in Porker ($3000 on the Macan, Macan 4; $4000 on Macan S; $5000 on Macan Turbo). And the brand is further sweetening the deal with a five-year factory warranty and five years roadside assistance at no cost. Another European brand doing discounts is Fiat. The pint-sized Fiat 500e is now being offered at a more fitting price of $38,990 drive-away – some $16,000 off the existing price ($52,500 plus on-roads). And the hotter pop-and-crackle Abarth 500e is now $43,990 drive-away, about $18,000 less than the original price with on-roads included. Fiat – part of the Stellantis Group – isn't the only marque in the stable to be chopping it up. Jeep is still doing $40,000 drive-away deals on the Avenger electric small SUV, which is the country's cheapest vehicle of its type. And there are even better prices on in-stock models with low kilometres, as low as $34,990 drive-away for a car with 2000km on the clock. There are also budget bargains to be had from China, too, with the outgoing Chery Omoda E5 being offered with up to $6000 off retail. The 430km-EV-range small SUV starts at $40,300 drive-away, and includes a free home charger – and it's one of the only EVs on the market with a full-size spare wheel. Cox Automotive analyst Mike Costello says the raging retail offers point to potentially bigger concerns in the industry. 'Discounts or incentives tell us there are still challenges to overcome in terms of increasing consumer demand, although there are plenty of signs that consumers will consider an EV if the price and performance is right for them. 'Over the next few years carmakers are expected to increase the number of EVs they offer to meet government efficiency targets, so there's every change that great deals will become a common sight,' he said.
Auto Express
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Car Deal of the Day
Well-equipped Red specification 252-mile range with heat pump Just £249 a month plus a free home charger Love the retro flair and flamboyance of the Fiat 500e but need more space? The Fiat 600e neatly fits this role, marrying both style and practicality in a desirable package. It could be the perfect choice if you're pondering the switch to an electric car but need an extra sweetener to make you take the plunge. Advertisement - Article continues below Through the Auto Express Find a Car service, energy supplier Octopus, through its Octopus Electric vehicles division, is offering the retro Fiat for just £249 a month, complete with a free home charger. It means this deal is a ready-to-go option for first time EV drivers. All that's needed to get the ball rolling on this four-year deal is a £2,988 initial payment. Mileage is capped at 5,000 a year, but this can be doubled to 10,000 per annum for a measly £16 extra a month. If that's not sweet enough, Octopus Electric Vehicles also throws in a maintenance package, which covers servicing, routine repairs and breakdown cover. This 600e comes in Red specification, so metallic red paint is thrown in, as is a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, and plenty of red interior detailing. Plus, rather impressively, a heat pump also comes as standard, helping to make the 600e as efficient as possible. Speaking of efficiency, the 54kWh battery is claimed to give a range of 252 miles, and we've found that to be pretty accurate. A charging speed of 100kW means topping up at roadside chargers should take less than half an hour, too. The 600e gets a 154bhp electric motor powering the front wheels. It gives pretty decent performance, with 0-62mph taking nine seconds, but the little Fiat is all about comfort. Soft suspension and light steering give a plush, easy-going feel. The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Find A Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top Fiat 600e leasing offers from leading providers on our Fiat 600e page. Check out the Fiat 600e deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here…
The Irish Sun
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Exact date iconic hatchback will make UK comeback with bold new look – and will be even cheaper than expected
AN Italian car maker has announced the exact date that its iconic hatchback will be available to motorists. The new hybrid version of the 4 The new hybrid will use a 12V battery Credit: Stellantis 4 Production is set to begin later this year Credit: Stellantis Fiat announced that their new The fresh take on the classic hatchback will be produced at the firm's The motor will boast the same Almost identical to the Read more in Motors Fiat aims to manufacture over 100,000 units per year of its new hybrid 500 small car. Parent Stellantis was created in 2021 from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's Last year the firm manufactured 475,000 vehicles in Italy, from over 751,000 in 2023. Most read in Motors Francois said during a media preview of the car, when some The new hybrid 500, to be manufactured from November in the Mirafiori complex in Turin, Italy, along its existing Fiat 500e production paused Production of the 500 EV, which costs almost 30,000 euros, amounted to just 25,000 units last year. The firms The Stellantis is also working on the new generation of the 500, expected around 2030, to be produced in 4 The cars will be made at the firm's Mirafiori plant Credit: Stellantis 4 The firm aims to produce 100,000 units a year Credit: Stellantis "We're designing it now, it will be Pre-series models have reportedly already rolled off the production line. The model will be available in the UK in two configurations: the classic A 12v lithium battery will boost the little hybrid's performance and enhance fuel efficiency. A modern interior will offer a Full wireless compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allows for safe smartphone integration. What is Stellantis? Stellantis is the company behind iconic motor brands such as Fiat, Vauxhall and Peugot. The conglomerate, which is the second-largest maker of cars in Europe, owns 14 badges, including Chrysler, Citroen, Jeep and Maserati. The company itself is the product of a merger between Fiat-Chrysler and France's PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen, in 2021. But the motoring giant has encountered increasingly stuttering financial success. And an initial manufacturing break at Stellantis has now been extended as bosses report a collapse in demand for electric cars.
Auto Car
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Flurry of investments poised to bring EV battery swap tech to Europe
Close Pull into a petrol station with an electric Fiat 500e in Madrid, Spain, and you could soon be filling up almost as quickly as you would in the old combustion-engine version. This magic is down to a conversion of the EV carried out for the FreetoMove car share business of Stellantis, Fiat's owner . The conversion itself is the work of start-up Ample, which has reinvented the idea of battery swapping to make it more accessible, and it is now being launched in Spain.
Miami Herald
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Fiat 500e EV Could Get a New Battery as Quickly as a Gas Fill-Up
Spain's car-sharing scene is about to get a jolt. Stellantis, the global automaker behind brands like Jeep, Dodge, and Fiat, has teamed up with San Francisco startup Ample to deploy 100 Fiat 500e EVs equipped with swappable batteries. The cars will be part of Free2move, Stellantis' car-sharing and mobility service in Madrid. Instead of plugging in and waiting around to recharge, these Fiats can drive into a station and receive a freshly charged battery in just five minutes - about the same time it takes to fill up a gas tank. It's a modern take on a concept that's been attempted before, with one major twist: Ample's system uses modular battery packs rather than one-size-fits-all units. What sets Ample apart is the flexibility of its battery system. Each swappable module is roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase, and multiple modules can be combined to suit different needs. That means a Fiat 500e doesn't have to carry more battery than necessary - just one module for quick trips, or a full set of four for longer drives. Unlike systems that require bespoke vehicle designs or bulky underbody access points, Ample's batteries are designed to slot into existing EV platforms. This approach makes it easier to retrofit a wide variety of electric vehicles with the swappable tech. It also helps future-proof the system, meaning that as EV technology evolves, Ample can upgrade the modules themselves, not the cars. Battery swapping might not make sense for individual EV owners who charge overnight at home. But in the world of car-sharing and ride-hailing, downtime is the enemy. "For car-sharing fleets, every minute spent off the road is lost revenue," said Khaled Hassounah, CEO of Ample. "We're deeply committed to making Free2move's transition to electric seamless - not just in theory, but in daily operations. Our five-minute battery swaps eliminate charging downtime entirely, helping Free2move keep vehicles available, customers moving, and operations running at full speed." That kind of efficiency is critical for Free2move, which began testing 40 Ample-equipped 500e models in Madrid last year. With the fleet performing well and earning full regulatory approval, Stellantis plans to grow it to 100 vehicles by mid-2025. Ample's first battery swap stations appeared in California in 2021 and could complete a full changeover in about 10 minutes. However, the company has already rolled out a second-generation station that cuts that time in half and enhances the user experience. Now, drivers can remain inside the vehicle during the swap - a small but meaningful upgrade for comfort and convenience, especially in colder or hotter climates. The stations themselves are designed to be modular and quickly deployable, meaning they can be installed in urban environments without massive infrastructure changes. That's a major advantage for cities with limited space or power grid constraints. Battery swapping isn't likely to replace fast charging across the board. Most private EV owners won't need it, and the cost of deploying swap stations at scale is still high. But in dense cities, where fleets need to keep moving and space is at a premium, modular swap stations could fill an important niche. If the Madrid program proves successful, it could serve as a model for other cities and automakers looking to make electric fleets faster, more reliable, and more flexible. For now, it's an ambitious experiment, but if it works, five-minute EV "refueling" could become a lot more common. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
