It is unclear how much a 2013 Fiat 500e battery replacement costs, but some drivers say they’ve been quoted huge sums—far more than the car is even worth.

Written by Jason Tushinski

Reviewed by Melanie Reiff

Updated on Nov 29, 2022

Table of Contents

How much does it cost to replace a 2013 Fiat 500e battery?
Can you put a new battery in an old Fiat 500e?
How long does a 2013 Fiat 500e battery last?
How to save on Fiat 500e insurance

There are few mentions online about how much it costs to replace the battery in a 2013 Fiat 500e, but at least one driver says Chrysler quoted them between $28,000 and $38,000 to replace the original battery. A used 2013 500e only costs between $9,000 to $11,000!

While the 2013 Fiat 500e wasn’t quite groundbreaking (it wasn’t the first electric car to hit the market, after all), it did carry a certain cachet, transforming Fiat’s shifty gas-powered 500 into an all-electric, only-sold-in-California variant.

Just as owners of a gas-powered Fiat 500 had to worry about wear and tear and regular maintenance, owners of the electric 500e also have worries—such as keeping an eye on their 24-kWh battery.

That’s why

Jerry

, the vehicle expert and

car insurance

comparison tool, has put together this handy article on all you need to know about the 2013 Fiat 500e’s battery. Read on to learn how much it could cost you to replace it, what the battery capacity and range are, and how much a used 500e will cost you on the open market. We’ll also share some tips on how to save on

Fiat 500e car insurance costs

How much does it cost to replace a 2013 Fiat 500e battery?

It’s difficult to find exact figures. However, at least one driver has reported that

Chrysler

(Fiat Chrysler is now under the Stellantis brand) quoted them—hold onto your coppola (hat, in Italian)—between $28,000 and $38,000 to replace a dead 24-kWh battery in their 2013 Fiat 500e.

Now, you might be wondering why on earth it would cost so much. Details are scant, but we can make some educated guesses as to why a replacement battery for a 2013 electric

Fiat

would cost so much:

Electric batteries are very expensive to produce, as they are made of high-priced and in-demand materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel

Fiat discontinued the 500e back in 2020, and with a new Fiat 500e (with a 32.2-kWh battery) set for release in 2024, dealers likely don’t have many (if any) 24-kWh batteries lying around

The batteries in the Fiat 500e are well-built, and there’s been barely any market for replacements

The last point is worth touching on further. With the distinct lack of online chatter about the need to replace a 2013 500e battery, this likely means the vast majority of those batteries are chugging along just fine. Granted, many of them could have been replaced under warranty, as all 2013 Fiat 500e’s came with a robust battery warranty—but it expired recently.

That said, odds are that if oodles of 2013 500e owners were ditching their Fiats because their batteries were dying, we’d have heard about it.

Speaking of warranties—the 2013 Fiat 500e came with an 8-year/100,000-mile lithium-ion battery warranty. Of course, if you’re still driving a 2013 500e today and the battery suddenly died on you, that warranty would no longer cover the cost of replacing it.

Also, auto insurance likely wouldn’t cover wear and tear issues such as battery replacements, so if you have both the cash—and the intestinal fortitude—you could search for a potentially very expensive replacement battery for your 2013 Fiat.

That said, Edmunds lists used 2013 Fiat 500e hatchbacks on sale for between $9,000 to $11,000, so you’re probably better off buying one of those instead.

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Can you put a new battery in an old Fiat 500e?

It is unlikely you’d be able to swap in a new battery for the old 24-kWh battery from a 2013 Fiat 500e. Granted, there is at least one auto shop in

Portland, Oregon

—EV Rides—that swaps out Nissan Leaf batteries, so you could check there.

You’ll be hard-pressed to get a dealer to put a new battery into a 2013 Fiat 500e, though, due to the lack of 24-kWh Fiat batteries available (especially considering the upcoming 2024 Fiat 500e, with its bigger battery). Also, swapping out one electric battery for another is complicated—much more so than simply swapping out a standard 12-volt battery.

Considering a Fiat or Chrysler dealership would be unlikely to do this swap for you, you’d be hard-pressed to find an independent mechanic to do it, either.

Fiat 500e battery capacity and range

All Fiat 500e hatchbacks produced from 2013 to 2020 had the same battery size (24 kWh) and the same amount of range (87 miles on a full charge). While specifications have not yet been confirmed, Car and Driver reports that the 2024 Fiat 500e will boast a 32.3-kWH battery, along with roughly 160 miles of range on a full charge.

While this is much lower than some other electric vehicles on the market, it is comparable to the electric Mini Cooper. And considering the Fiat 500e will be best suited to city driving, a full battery charge should get you from A to B and back again with gusto.

MORE: Everything you need to know about Fiat electric cars

How long does a 2013 Fiat 500e battery last?

The estimated lifespan of a 2013 Fiat 500e battery is between 10 and 15 years and at least 100,000 miles.

It’s hard to estimate the lifespan of the new battery that will come with the 2024 Fiat 500e, but it will likely last longer. However, the older electric Fiats and batteries still have performed well, in part due to Fiat’s battery thermal management system. This works to maintain optimal temperature and mitigate wear due to hot exterior temperatures.

That said, if you’re still driving your 2013 Fiat 500e, here are a few other tips to ensure its battery keeps on truckin’:

Avoid high temperatures: While the 500e does have the thermal management system, too much heat exposure can damage the battery of any electric car, the Fiat 500e included. Park your car indoors or in the shade if possible.

Don’t charge to 100%: You actually don’t want to keep your battery charged at 100% for long periods, as this can reduce battery lifespan. Instead, keep the battery charged between 20% and 80% for optimal battery operation.

How to save on Fiat 500e insurance

If you blanched at the cost of replacing the battery in a Fiat 500e, we can’t blame you! With visions of a new car dancing in your head, make sure you save as much as you can by buying a robust

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Best of all? The average Jerry user saves more than $800 per year on car insurance!