Fiat 500e: Environmentally Sexy? Italian Marketing In Action

Like an earlier announced program with the BMW i3, Fiat has decided that purchasers of their upcoming Fiat 500e need a little extra security when it comes to long distance outings.

2014 Fiat 500E Interior

Fiat North America chief Tim Kuniskis says that all new Fiat 500e will also come with 12 free days* of rental cars per year, for the first 3 years, with every the electric vehicle they sell.

Yes, we did include an asterisk (*) in that statement, as it will not be as easy as running down to your local Fiat dealer and picking up an equivalent, gas burning Fiat 500, but rather Fiat will put open a business account for you through Enterprise Holdings, and load your "ePass" with enough points to rent a conventional-powered vehicle for up to 12 days.

So in theory, and depending on your personal taste in automobiles, you could have almost two weeks of rental coverage.  Or, if you are like us, a couple days with whatever the nicest convertible the company has in stock.

“It gives (consumers) that ultimate flexibility,” Fiat North America boss Tim Kuniskis said to the Automotive News. “If I own a 500e and I need a pickup to help my buddy move, or if I need a standard car because I want to take the family to go see grandma in New York, I can do that.”

On each of the first two anniversaries of the  purchase of your Fiat 500e, the company will reload the account with more points, equal to another 12 days.   The only real catch is that, as with every rental agreement, the customer will have to pay insurance and other charges.  Still, it is a better deal than with any other EV on the market today.

Alright Fiat Photog, Your Not Ansel Adams, Let The Bird Clear The Shot

The 500e is expected to go on sale in July of this year, and has been rated by EPA to travel 87 miles on electricity, with a MPGe rating in the city of 122, and 108 on the highway; good for a 116 combined MPGe efficiency.   (A ridiculous amount of details on the car can be found here)

Pricing on the car is still unknown, but not for long, as the company says all will be revealed on April 13.  We estimate a starting price just over $35,000.

The initial wave of Fiat 500es will exclusively be available at the company's 25 dealerships in California.

Also, check out (below) how Fiat blew $3.8 million dollars promoting their compliance-only EV at this year's superbowl.  Of interest, Fiat was also the only EV-maker to purchase an ad spot at the event in 2013:

via Automotive News

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