Fiat will only sell fully electric cars by 2030. That goal has been announced by the brand’s CEO, Olivier François.
Fiat joins the growing list of car manufacturers that a concrete year depends on the switch to a purely electric range. It is the first brand within Stellantis to set such a clear target. In 2030, the last Fiats with a combustion engine on board will leave the house.
François explains the plan: “Our task is to bring electric cars to the market that are no more expensive than cars with an internal combustion engine, as soon as possible thanks to the falling costs of batteries. This is our largest project. Between 2025 and 2030 our offer is gradually becoming electric only. A radical change for Fiat,” said the Frenchman.
The strategy doesn’t get much more concrete yet. At the moment, the Italian brand is focusing on electric mobility with the new, all-electric Fiat 500e, but there are no detailed plans for more electric models in the future. The Centoventi Concept, unveiled in 2019, was still a preview of a possible successor to the Panda, which would also be fully electric. Although production plans were discussed in early 2020, it has remained silent since then. In an interview with Techzle last year, Luca Napolitano (CEO of Fiat Europa) indicated that he still finds it an interesting concept: “The Centoventi Concept, released in honor of the 120th anniversary of our brand, represents our ultimate fantasy about how a possible Panda replacement would look and function in the long run. So if I could develop a new Panda right now, the Centoventi Concept would be the perfect starting point. I cannot and do not want to say more about it.”
Fiat’s goal may be a harbinger for other brands within the group. Of course, a lot of technology will be exchanged (in the future) between brands such as Peugeot, Opel and Fiat, so logically the modular EV platform under development from the former PSA will become the cornerstone for more concrete deadlines for phasing out the combustion engine.