Electric Fiat 500 in US by 2012

An all-electric Fiat 500 will go on sale in the US at the beginning of 2012, the Chrysler Group has announced.

Based on the concept car shown at the Detroit motor show in January, the electric 500 will use a lithium-ion battery pack. No other details have been released.

Fiat has no timetable for when the car might go on sale in the UK, but more information should be available in April when plans are revealed to investors.