For those who don't speak Italian, the Centoventi translates into English as the 120 and celebrates Fiat's 120th anniversary. A small family car, the Centoventi, began life as an all-electric concept car which Auto Express suggested would share parts with the new 500e.

The new car in the Fiat range adopts the new Fiat logo as well as the return of the long-missing Tricolore emblem; it is clear that Fiat isn't abandoning their retro-chic looks as they take their next step into the EV market.

The 120 is intended to be priced beneath the 500e and will achieve this through the same minimalistic design which has made the Panda a sales success for over a decade; however, this doesn't mean that the new Fiat will be as unappealing as the early Panda models, the brand is set to employ the same marketing strategies which have made the 500 sell incredibly well to make this cut-price EV sell to the masses.

The 500e retails for upwards of around $27,600, while the Centoventi will retail for less than this, making it one of the cheapest EVs on the market.

The Fiat Centoventi is the brand's budget entry into the EV market.

Learning From The 500

Front 3/4 view of the Fiat 500 on the move
netcarshow.com

The Fiat 500 range, or as the Italian marque refers to it, the 500 family, encompasses the original hatchback in hardtop and convertible guises as well as a family carrier and SUV and now the electric version. Each of these comes with various trims from Lounge, Pop, to Icon, as well as giving the buyer a plethora of adorable exterior colors, interior options, and special editions like the 500 for Ferrari, Barbie, and Gucci.

The 500 Colour Therapy is a particularly awesome choice that took the 500 away from its original 1950s aesthetic and moved it forward to an era of obnoxiously bright colors in the 1970s; this edition simply came with excessively marketed colors and some white and silver hubcaps. Fiat's website hints towards the same marketing strategy; the Centoventi is "Born To Be Dressed," with Fiat's Coloriser giving near endless options.

This ride features a modular roof, which can come in five colors, with five different bumper options and the same number of wheel colors as well as the option of wrapping the car with different patterns. Very few Centoventis would look the same due to this sheer level of customization.

As the model grows older, it would make sense that these option lists will grow further and further as is normal for the current Fiat lineup, ensuring that Fiat's promise that "You will be the designer of your own special edition," remains true.

RELATED: These Are The Features That Made The Fiat 500 Abarth A Popular Buy

A Unique Design

4 x 4 1989 white fiat panda mk1
via CarAndClassic

When Fiat unveiled the 500e, because it no longer required a front air intake, it was able to shun the grille which had grown on the previous car. Thus it managed to look even more like the seminal 500 from sixty years ago, which, being rear-engined, didn't have an intake on the front, turning it into a truly iconic and distinctive design.

Earlier in the year, Auto Express reported on exclusive renders of the car in its pre-production state; it had a large black plastic insert on the front of the body, which evoked the Fiats of the 1990s, an era that the manufacturer would rather we forgot. The concept which found its way into official marketing materials doesn't have this insert; however, it does evoke this era of Fiat with its boxy aesthetic which comes from both those Fiats of thirty tears ago and the outgoing Panda; it keeps a separate identity to the 500 and avoids what many brands have done and pursued uniformity across their range.

RELATED: A Detailed Look At The Fiat Panda

The Centoventi Is Carving A Future For Fiat

Fiat Centoventi Concept Utility via Netcarshow

The manufacturer writes that the Centoventi is "An electric utility concept car that recalls the design of the most compact crossovers and lays the foundations for what could be the car of the future." In a truly innovative move, Fiat has introduced a modular battery system, one battery pack can provide 62 miles of range, and the complete system gives 310 miles which is more than the brand's premium electric car, the 500e, which only has an official range of up to 199 miles.

Fiat hasn't given a complete explanation of how the modular battery packs will work, and if they have to be plugged into the car to work or can be charged in some sort of battery dock, either way giving the consumer more options is always a good thing. The Panda was successful because it was a highly practical, affordable, and economical car, and even if it wasn't the best to look at, it was a utilitarian choice for those who needed to move from A to B.

This no-frills section of the EV market has been growing recently with the Dacia Spring EV and the announcement of the Dacia Duster Hybrid and Electric models as reported in AutoCar. USA Today reported earlier in the month that for Stellantis, the owner of Fiat, between July and September of this year, sales have decreased by 19% on last year; this is largely due to the chip shortage, which is decimating the entire technology sector but to reverse this, Fiat must act pragmatically and adapt to the changes in the market which are ushering in the electric car.