The first Fiat 500 Hybrid rolls off the assembly line in Turin
Fiat has started assembling the first pre-production examples of the new Fiat 500 Ibrida at the historic Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy. Full series production is due to start in November 2025 and, according to Stellantis, preparations are on schedule.
Here's What We Know
Although the specifications of the hybrid version have not yet been officially revealed, the 500 Ibrida is expected to get the same 1.0-litre Firefly three-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine previously used in the previous generation Fiat 500 and Fiat Panda. A six-speed manual gearbox is noticeable in photos of the prototypes.
The launch of the new model is part of Stellantis' strategy to expand its range of affordable electrified vehicles. The all-electric 500e, released in 2020, was an important step for the brand, but recently buyer interest has been shifting towards hybrids. The Fiat 500 Ibrida promises to retain the brand's signature styling and handling, while offering a more affordable alternative to the all-electric version.
To move into hybrid assembly, Stellantis has invested $140 million to modernise its Mirafiori plant, which will now be able to produce both the 500e and 500 Ibrida. Once at full capacity, the plan is to assemble more than 100,000 hybrid Fiat 500s per year, and total production of the two models should be up to 160,000 cars annually.
To free up production capacity, production of the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio has been moved to Modena. Mirafiori is currently running a single shift, mainly centred on the 500e, but Stellantis says there are no production breaks planned for May, indicating high confidence in successful scaling.
Source: Stellantis
