Images and technical details of Fiat's all-new, all-electric Fiat 500 have been leaked online ahead of its official reveal.

UPDATE: The Fiat 500e has now been revealed - full story here

New pictures, first seen on French website Automobilist's Facebook page, show a modernised 500 with door handles that sit flush to the body, LED headlights that eat into the bonnet, and a redesigned front grille that should provide better aerodynamics without the need to cool a combustion engine.

The images show a folding fabric roof that matches the existing 500c, but it is expected the 500e will also be offered as a fixed-roof model.

Larger changes appear to have been made inside the cabin, with a completely overhauled dashboard, new instruments and a large central infotainment screen. A new rotary gear selector also features, mounted on a plinth below the centre console and surrounded by buttons.

Technical details of the new city car have also surfaced. According to Automotive News Europe, which cites unnamed Italian sources, the new 500 will store its power in a 42kWh lithium ion battery pack that promises a 199-mile range. It is said to feature an in-built 85kW charger that can add 31 miles of range in five minutes and take the battery from empty to 80% capacity in as little as 35 minutes.

According to the reports, the battery powers a 114bhp motor that's good for a claimed top speed of 93mph.

Earlier this year, Fiat said it would invest €700 million (about £610m) on its Mini Electric rival, to include a new production line in Mirafiori, Italy. Fiat hopes to produce 80,000 examples of the new 500e.

The car will be sold alongside the existing 500, which will continue to be powered by conventional petrol engines as well as receiving styling and technical updates.