The Fiat 600 is back but not as you might know it – 600e SUV unveiled

With much talk in the UK of declining demand for electric vehicles (EV), car manufacturers are continuing to release their latest battery-powered models in a bid to win over drivers.

The latest example comes from Fiat, which today (July 4) pulled the hoods off the 600e – its second full-fledged electric passenger car that sees the return of one of its long-lost nameplates.

The 600e takes the brand’s 1950s badge and pins it onto an all-new compact SUV that promises more than 250 miles of range between charges.

But it won’t be cheap.

The Italian brand today unveiled the new 600e – an electric compact SUV with a range of ‘more than 400 kilometers’

The Italian brand’s decision to use the 600 name on an EV of this type will confuse those who remember the originals.

The 600 started in 1955 as a water-cooled, rear-engined city car aimed at the masses.

A year later, it used the same number configuration for its 600 Multipla – a four-door mini passenger car designed to transport families on a budget.

But the new 600e doesn’t reflect any of the segments the original 600 represented.

Fiat first used the 600 nameplate – or ‘Seicento’ – for its compact family car launched in 1955

A year later, the Italian brand introduced the 600 Multipla – a small MPV aimed at families on a budget

The new 600e is different from the classics with which it shares a name. Instead, it’s a jacked-up little crossover aimed at city lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike

Instead, Fiat wants to capitalize on the popularity of small SUV models with the 600e, a jacked-up hatchback aimed at ‘both city lovers and outdoor enthusiasts’.

In fact, the car is similar in size and style to the outgoing 500X internal combustion SUV.

Yet Fiat calls it an all-new model that it describes as “the perfect embodiment of the brand values ​​of Italian style and sustainability.”

Below that, it uses the same platform used by other brands that sit under the Stellantis automotive banner.

That includes the DS3 E-Tense, Peugeot e-2008, Vauxhall Mokka Electric and the forthcoming Jeep Avenger SUV.

Aimed at those who need a bigger electric car than the current 500e, the latest battery car would comfortably seat five people and have a range of more than 600 kilometers in the inner city – although about 400 kilometers on a mix of roads.

It is powered by lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 54 kWh coupled to a 115 kW electric motor that drives the front wheels only.

The combination promises an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in nine seconds and a limited top speed of 150 km/h.

It is equipped with a 100kW fast charging system, meaning batteries can be topped up quickly, provided you can connect to an equally fast device. For example, Fiat claims that it takes less than half an hour to charge the battery to 80 percent – “about the same time it takes to pack your car for a weekend away,” says the Italian brand.

Alternatively, the 11kW built-in charger means a home charger should charge the battery to 100 per cent in less than six hours.

Fiat’s latest battery car would comfortably seat five people and has an inner-city range of more than 600 kilometers, though about 400 kilometers on a mix of roads

It is powered by lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 54 kWh coupled to a 115 kW electric motor that drives the front wheels only

Order books for UK customers will open in the autumn and first deliveries are scheduled for late 2024. However, Fiat has yet to confirm prices for UK showrooms.

Fiat calls it the ‘bigger sister’ of the 500e, saying it reflects the ‘coolness and fresh style’ of the original 600.

Order books will open to UK customers from this autumn with first deliveries expected before the end of the year.

UK pricing and specs are yet to be confirmed, however, and will be revealed closer to the start of sales, Fiat UK tells us.

With the 500e city car costing between £28,195 and £34,195, we expect the 600e to cost around £37,000.