Fiat targets young families with three-door variant of 500 electric minicar

MILAN -- Fiat is seeking to widen the appeal of its New 500 full-electric minicar by adding a family-orientated variant with a third door.

The New 500 3+1 has a small, rear-hinged door on the rear passenger side that gives easier access to the rear seats.

The variant will appeal to young customers who have grown out of the regular 500 because they now have children, Fiat brand boss Olivier Francois said. "They need a more accessible interior in a similarly cool car," Francois said during an online presentation of the car.

The third door means rear passengers can get into the car more comfortably and large items can be loaded more easily, Fiat said. It also allows easier access to child seats in the rear.

Fiat unveiled the New 500 in March, keeping the retro styling of the internal combustion engine 500, which was Europe's second best-selling minicar last year after the Fiat Panda. 

The New 500 3+1 is 30 kg (66 lbs) heavier than the two-door version because the additional door has to incorporate the B pillar for strength. The 3+1 has the same dimensions as the hatchback and convertible versions. It is 3631 mm long, 1687 mm wide, 1508 mm tall, with a 2320-mm wheelbase.

Electric range, connectivity

The New 500 3+1 is powered by an 87-kilowatt (116 hp) electric motor and a 42-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack. It has a range of 320 km (200 miles) under Europe's WLTP test cycle.

The variant will not be sold with the New 500's entry-level 23.7-kilowatt battery pack that has a 185-km (115-mile) range.

The 31,900-euro base version will have a 7-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch color display screen. It will also have Fiat Chrysler's Uconnect connectivity system, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 10.25-inch navigation screen and a wall box home-charging point come with more expensive versions.

The New 500 3+1 will join the two-door hatchback and convertible versions of the New 500. It has a starting price of 31,900 euros ($37,750) in Italy, 2,000 euros more than the equivalent two-door New 500.

The New 500 two-door hatchback will have an entry price of 20,150 euros in Italy, including a 6,000-euro government incentive.

The two-door hatchback and convertible will reach Italian dealerships this month. Deliveries will start next in Germany, France and Switzerland and the cars will reach all European Union dealerships by the end of the year. Sales in the UK and Ireland will start next year.

Deliveries of the New 500 3+1 version will start early next year. Fiat did not say if the UK and Ireland will get the car. In right-hand models, the third door would open on the driver's side onto the road.

Francois said in March that the New 500 will be sold in Brazil starting next year. If there was sufficient demand, it could be exported to the U.S., he said.

All three variants are built in Fiat's Mirafiori factory in Turin, Italy. The plant has an annual capacity of 80,000 units for the models.

Fiat's first electric version of the 500 was built in Mexico and sold only in the U.S.

"The battery electric 500 we sold in the U.S. was part of the Chrysler purchase agreement, but we lost money on it," Francois said on Thursday.

Francois said Fiat decided to develop a new-generation electric 500 for Europe "because we believe an interesting market is there."

"It is not a compliance car," he said, refering to cars sold by automakers at a loss to help meet CO2 emission reduction and fuel economy regulations.

Other vehicles have used a similar door configuration to the New 500 3+1, with varying success. It was seen on the Mazda RX-8 sports car and is a common feature on extended-cab pickups. The first-generation Mini Clubman had a third door, but the feature was not used on the current version, which is larger and has a more-conventional four-door layout.