Fiat adds £10k cheaper petrol option to its 600e electric SUV

Fiat has announced an innovative new cut price version of its 600e electric SUV called the 600 Hybrid, with order books opening at dealers this week.

With batteries making up the bulk of the weight and expense in EVs, Fiat has hit upon the idea of reducing the 50kWh battery down to 1kWh and using a petrol engine to assist the car. The exciting powertrain will have the triple benefit of increased range, ultra rapid refuelling and savings of around £10k over the standard model.

At the UK launch of the 600e, Fiat's UK boss Damian Dally criticised the government’s removal of plug-in car incentives for EV buyers and the postponement of the combustion engine ban to 2035, saying that the company had not seen the progress it was expecting in the take-up of electric vehicles. The new 600 Hybrid will be aimed mainly at private buyers, who have been less enthusiastic about buying EVs.

The new 600 Hybrid will have two specs to choose from – an entry level Fiat 600 Hybrid spec with no name (saving weight on badging) and a fancy La Prima version. The former will cost £23,965 and the latter £26,695, offering £9k and £10k savings over their electric siblings respectively.

The entry hybrid model throws in more equipment than the electric one, replacing the 16in steel wheels with 17in alloys and throwing in a heated windscreen and seats.

The cutting edge 600 Hybrid will come with a 1.2-litre 3cyl petrol producing 100bhp with a 48V mild-hybrid setup (and 29bhp e-motor), along with a six-speed dual clutch transmission. A 1kWh battery will enable the car to travel up to 0.6 miles at a time in EV mode at speeds up to 30mph, scavenging power from the engine and under braking.

Don’t fancy either of the new Fiat 600 options? Abarth is set to launch its own version of the 600e before the end of 2024, focused on performance and driving.