The 500e uses a 111bhp battery-electric drivetrain which can be charged in under four hours to offer an 80-mile estimated range, rising to 110 miles in town. Fiat has used a revised chassis setup to account for the extra weight of the electric components, claiming the same agility as the conventional car.

Electric versions are marked out by an aerodynamic bodykit, developed in a 140-hour wind tunnel programme, which reduces drag enough to extend the range by five miles. Inside, the dashboard features a full-colour TFT instrument cluster with specific energy displays, and a TomTom navigation unit with additional EV-specific functions.

Charging and satellite navigation routes can be controlled remotely using a smartphone app.

The first cars will be delivered to Californian dealers, or Fiat Studios as they’re called in the US, in the second quarter of 2013. Fiat has no plans as yet to bring the model to European markets.