You’ve probably seen them. Those tiny, vibrantly colored Italian bubbles darting through traffic in California or Oregon. They look like a regular Cinquecento, but there’s no tailpipe. It’s the 2016 Fiat 500e hatchback, a car that was once famously dismissed by its own creator. Sergio Marchionne, the late CEO of Fiat Chrysler, literally begged people not to buy this car because the company lost about $14,000 on every single sale.
That’s a weird sales pitch.
But here’s the thing: their loss is basically your gain in the used market. If you need a "real" car to cross the country, keep walking. This isn't it. However, if you need a second vehicle for errands or a city commuter that fits into parking spots a Vespa would find tight, this little electrified marshmallow is a masterclass in fun. It’s got that snappy, instant torque that makes gas cars feel like they’re waking up from a nap.
The 2016 Fiat 500e Hatchback: Better Than a Compliance Car?
Technically, this is a "compliance car." Fiat only built it to satisfy California's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates. Usually, that means the car is a compromised, sluggish mess. Not here. Bosch actually handled the powertrain, and they did a shockingly good job.
The 2016 model year sits in a sweet spot. By this time, Fiat had ironed out some of the early 2013-2014 hardware glitches, particularly regarding the Power Inverter Module (PIM), which was a notorious headache for early adopters. You get a 24 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. That "liquid-cooled" part is huge. Unlike the Nissan Leaf of the same era, which used air cooling and saw its batteries degrade faster than a cheap smartphone, the Fiat manages its thermal profile much better.
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It’s rated for 84 miles of range.
Honestly, in the real world? You’re looking at 70 miles if you’re driving like a normal person with the AC on. If you’re hypermiling in stop-and-go traffic, you might see 90. It’s a niche tool. It’s a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. The 111 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque don't sound like much on paper, but because it’s an EV, all that grunt is available the millisecond you touch the pedal. It feels way faster than the 0-60 mph time of 8.4 seconds suggests.
Driving Dynamics and the "Fun" Factor
Most EVs feel heavy. They feel like they’re dragging a lead sled under the floorboards. The 2016 Fiat 500e hatchback handles the extra 600 pounds of batteries surprisingly well. Fiat engineers actually shifted the weight distribution to 57/43 (front/rear), which is significantly more balanced than the nose-heavy gasoline version.
It handles like a go-kart.
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The steering is light but quick. Because the center of gravity is so low, you can chuck it into a corner and it stays flat. It’s hilarious. You’ll find yourself taking the long way home just to hit a few extra turns. Inside, it’s typical Fiat—lots of hard plastics, but styled with enough Italian flair that you kind of don't mind. The 2016 update also brought the Uconnect 5.0 system with a 5-inch touchscreen. It’s small by today's "Tesla-tablet" standards, but it’s functional and includes Bluetooth streaming, which was an upgrade over the older TomTom pop-up units.
What to Watch Out For (The Real Talk)
Look, it’s not all sunshine and espresso. Owning a 2016 Fiat 500e hatchback requires a bit of a "hacker" mindset.
One of the weirdest quirks is the 12-volt battery. If the small, lead-acid battery under the hood gets weak, the whole car freaks out. It will throw "Service Electric Vehicle System" codes and refuse to shift into gear. Most of the time, the big high-voltage battery is fine; the car just needs a new $150 battery from the local auto parts store.
Then there’s the charging. It uses a 6.6 kW onboard charger. On a Level 2 (240V) station, you can go from empty to full in about 4 hours. On a standard wall outlet? Plan on 24 hours. The biggest drawback for some will be the lack of DC Fast Charging. There is no "Supercharging" here. You cannot take this to an Electrify America station and zip to 80% in twenty minutes. It simply doesn't have the hardware.
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Reliability and Maintenance Realities
Since there’s no oil to change, no spark plugs, and no transmission fluid in the traditional sense, maintenance is hilariously low. You’ve got cabin air filters, wiper blades, and tires. Speaking of tires—the stock Firestone Firehawk GTs are okay, but they’re designed for low rolling resistance to maximize range. If you swap them for something stickier, the car becomes a backroad beast, but you’ll lose 5-10 miles of range. It’s a trade-off.
The brakes also last forever. Because the car uses regenerative braking to slow down (sending energy back to the battery), you aren't actually using the physical pads and rotors most of the time.
Buying Advice for the Used Market
If you’re looking at a 2016 Fiat 500e hatchback today, check the door sills and the underside for rust if it’s an East Coast car. Remember, these were originally only sold in CA and OR, but they’ve migrated everywhere.
- Check the PIM: Ask if the Power Inverter Module has been serviced or replaced under recall.
- The "Hacker" App: Download an app called AlfaOBD. It allows you to talk to the car’s computers via a Bluetooth OBDII dongle. You can reset codes, check battery cell health, and see exactly how much life is left in the pack.
- The Rear Seat Myth: There are seats back there. They are for groceries or people you don't particularly like. Don't expect to fit a full-sized adult behind a tall driver.
The 2016 Fiat 500e hatchback remains a cult classic because it’s one of the few EVs that doesn't feel like an appliance. It has a personality. It’s grumpy when it’s cold, it’s peppy when it’s warm, and it looks better than a Chevy Spark EV or a Smart ED. For a used price that often hovers between $6,000 and $9,000, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get into electric driving without the soul-crushing boredom of a first-gen Leaf.
Actionable Next Steps
Before buying, verify the battery health using a tool like AlfaOBD or a professional EV inspection service; a 24 kWh pack should still show at least 80-85% capacity for a well-maintained 2016 model. Ensure your home's electrical panel can support a dedicated 20-amp or 30-amp circuit for a Level 2 charger, as Level 1 charging is too slow for daily use. Finally, confirm that a local Fiat or Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealer has an "EV Certified" technician, as not all dealerships are equipped to handle the high-voltage components of the 500e.