While Fiat’s aren’t as common here in the U.S. as much as the Italian manufacturer would hope, a new electrical shift from the company will make its cars hard to hear as well.
Starting in 2025, Fiat will begin phasing vehicles with internal combustion engines out of its global lineup. By 2030, it will be a fully electric automaker. As part of its transformation, Fiat plans to improve the EV charging infrastructure, make electric cars more accessible and contribute to better air quality.
You can officially add Fiat to the growing list of automakers who will switch to an all-EV lineup in the next several years.
According to Autocar, the Italian manufacturer’s ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles will start melting away from its global portfolio in 2025. Over the following five years, it will transition into being an all-EV company by 2030.
We can’t say this comes as a total surprise. Fiat produced an electric version of its 500 hatchback known as the 500e for several years. At the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, it unveiled the Fiat Concept Centoventi, a customizable cube-on-wheels with a modular battery architecture that allowed the range to be adjusted between 60 miles and 300 miles to suit different lifestyle needs, such as city driving or getting away to the beach.
Fiat provided us a glimpse at its future as a company last March when it debuted the all-new 500. Instead of a small gas engine, it featured 85-kW charging capability, a 42-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an output of 87 kW (117 horsepower).
A small city-friendly car like that should have no problem getting charged in metropolitan areas, many of which have the charging infrastructure to accommodate EVs. Beyond those, charging can be more problematic. Fiat seems to be aware of that. The Autocar article states that Fiat plans to increase access to charging for communities that don’t have it, such as people who live in apartments.
Fiat has even gone so far as partnering with architect Stephano Boeri to reimagine urban environments as EV-friendly places. Ultimately, that alliance will cover the roof of Fiat’s Lingotto building in Turin, Italy with 28,000 plants in an effort to improve air quality.
When Fiat put out a press release about the new EV 500 last year, it stated that the model wasn’t confirmed for sale in the U.S. and that it was “evaluating its potential for the North American market.” Although the new 500 is larger than the model it replaces and has decades of name recognition, it’s still on the small side, especially for U.S. consumers, who tend to favor crossovers, SUVs and trucks. Whether or not Fiat brings the 500 to America, one thing’s for sure: It needs to have an EV presence here in the coming years if it wants any chance of penetrating this highly competitive and profitable market.
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