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rsquo13 500e to be offered in California first
<p> <strong>&rsquo;13 500e to be offered in California first.</strong></p>

Fiat to Unwrap Electrified Version of 500 Small Car

Fiat&rsquo;s 500e, which makes its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show Nov. 26, comes despite CEO Sergio&nbsp;Marchionne&#39;s remarks calling EVs &ldquo;economic lemons.&quot;

Fiat’s electric version of its 500 subcompact will make its first public appearance this month on a televised awards program, followed by its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Badged the 500e, the electric vehicle will be shown on the “green carpet” of the American Music Awards, airing Sunday. Fiat will release more specifics about the EV, including range, when it is unwrapped at the L.A. show Nov. 26.

The 500e will be sold in California in 2013, before being rolled out across the rest of the U.S.

It is the first all-electric vehicle for Chrysler, which has diversified its powertrain offerings and boosted fuel efficiency in recent months.

Sales of a compressed-natural-gas version of the Ram 2500 were launched earlier in November. In 2013, the Dodge Dart will be flex-fuel capable, Chrysler’s 12th vehicle to do so.

The 500e comes despite Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne’s criticism of the EV, calling it an “economic lemon” and a guaranteed money-loser for the auto maker.

Fiat’s strategy in re-entering the North American market calls for a number of variants for the 500, from a base model to the high-performance Abarth. Next year, the long-wheel-base 500L, a B-segment model, arrives at dealers.

The 500e will join the Mitsubishi i, Honda Fit EV and forthcoming Chevrolet Spark EV in the all-electric subcompact segment. The i has sold 469 units in the U.S. so far this year, while the Fit has delivered 48, according to WardsAuto data.

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