The Italian marque has EVs to sell, just not stateside, raising renewed questions about its US lineup.
- Fiat’s UK lineup will consist only of EVs and hybrids starting July 1 with the arrival of new models this spring.
- The automaker’s two EVs offered in the UK are the electric New 500 hatch and the E-Ulysse minivan.
- Fiat’s US lineup now consists only of the 500X crossover, following the departure of the gas-engined 500 hatchback.
Starting July 1, Fiat’s entire model range offered in the UK will be electric or electrified, with the automaker moving to sell only hybrids and EVs in this crucial market. The step is in line with the automaker’s long-term plan to offer only EVs in all regions by the end of the decade, and it comes at a time of increased energy insecurity in Europe.
Unlike in the US, Fiat actually has quite a bit of momentum in Europe when it comes to EVs. The battery-electric New 500 is the best-selling electric city car in eleven countries, the automaker notes, and is also the second best-selling EV in all segments, with Tesla enjoying the number one spot. The new electric 500 has a range of 198 miles in the WLTP cycle and 118 hp on tap, courtesy of a 62-kWh battery.
“In Italy and France, it is the best-selling electric model ever, while it ranks second in Germany, the largest electric car market in Europe,” Fiat notes.
Another battery-electric model on the menu in Europe at the moment is the E-Ulysse minivan—a segment that remains empty for electric models stateside, and does not look like it will be filled anytime soon. The automaker offers hybrids in Europe as well, including the Tipo hatch, 500X crossover, Panda crossover, and the 500 gas-electric hybrid.
Modest sales for Fiat in the UK could explain the brand’s latest strategy: So far this year, Fiat has sold 8234 vehicles in the UK, well below fellow Stellantis brands Citroen, Peugeot, and Vauxhall, according to Wards Intelligence data. For context, Volkswagen brand has sold 33,732 vehicles this year in the UK, compared with 39,798 from Ford, 35,404 from BMW, 33,915 from Toyota, and 39,707 from Kia.
At this point it’s difficult to ignore the fact that Fiat currently offers zero electric models stateside, with the aging gasoline-powered 500X being the brand’s sole offering after the departure of the 500 from its US lineup.
That’s right: Fiat is down to just one model stateside, and it’s neither electric nor electrified. But even aside from this issue, a one-model lineup should raise some concerns for the brand’s long-term viability stateside.
The E-Ulysse minivan is shared with a number of other Stellantis brands.
Fiat
“It is our duty to bring to market electric cars that cost no more than those with an internal-combustion engine, as soon as we can, in line with the falling costs of batteries,” Olivier François, Fiat CEO and Stellantis CMO, noted in 2021. “We are exploring the territory of sustainable mobility for all: This is our greatest project. Between 2025 and 2030, our product lineup will gradually become electric-only. “
The disparity between Fiat’s lineup in Europe and the US is pretty glaring as the automaker appears to be rocketing ahead in Europe with its electrification plans while offering EVs in segments that are almost uncontested stateside. The electric 500, for example, could compete with the Chevy Bolt and the Mini Cooper SE Electric stateside, while offering almost double the Mini’s range. So Fiat certainly has models it could offer here, if it believed they would be competitive. At the very least, it’s clear that Mini believes the Cooper SE Electric is competitive in its segment with a much more modest range.
The E-Ulysse minivan, offering up to 205 miles in the WLTP cycle, sold under the Opel, Citroen, Vauxhall, and Peugeot badges, would effectively be alone in its segment if sold in North America, albeit in an untested market that at the moment is preoccupied with pricey crossovers with far more range. So it’s more of a wildcard.
Fiat has more EVs on the way with an electric Panda due in 2023, but just when we might see more models stateside is an open question. It won’t be long before all Fiats in Europe are electric.
Keyword: Fiat to Go EV and Hybrid-Only in the UK Next Month