Fiat is set to reveal two electric vehicles (EVs) this year which could wear the Panda and Punto nameplates.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares confirmed these two new Fiat battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as part of the company’s 2022 financial results presentation.
“The brand-new Fiat BEVs are now coming. They will start this year in [20]23,” said Mr Tavares.
“All the new BEVs from Fiat as much as we have seen the Jeep Avenger are coming.”
Jeep Avenger
“I can tell you there is a very bright future ahead given the pipeline of products we have for this brand,” he added.
Mr Tavares didn’t reveal the identity of either of the two upcoming Fiat EVs during the live-streamed presentation, but one of them could be a rebadged version of the Jeep Avenger EV built at Stellantis’ plant in Tychy, Poland.
The Jeep Avenger EV is based on the second-generation eCMP platform, which also underpins the likes of the Peugeot 2008 and Citroen C4.
It’s powered by a single front-mounted electric motor producing 115kW of power and 260Nm of torque. There’s also a 54kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a 400-volt electrical architecture.
Fiat Panda Cross
The Avenger EV has a claimed 400km of range according to WLTP testing.
The availability of a petrol-powered version of the Avenger in select markets could mean there’ll be an internal-combustion version of the new Panda too.
Although the Fiat Panda was axed from the Australian lineup in 2015, it has continued to be sold in other markets. In fact, it has been the top-selling car in its Italian home market for a number of years now.
The second Fiat EV could revive the Punto badge, which Fiat CEO Olivier Francois told Auto Express early last year.
Centoventi concept
“What is sure is now I have the possibility to invent a new name, or to tap into some fabled name of the past,” said Mr Francois.
“I’m leaning more towards the second one, because we really have these favourable templates, with a lot of happy customers.”
“So I’ll do a B-segment [supermini], and then is it going to be a new Punto? Is it going to be a super Panda? I don’t know. We will find out,” he added.
“What is very important, and this is where you have my total commitment, is that obviously at the first glance – even with no badging or branding – you’ll recognise it as a Fiat.”
Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto was axed from the global lineup in 2018, and was last offered in Australia in 2015.
The revived electric version could have design elements that are inspired by the Centoventi concept that was revealed at the 2019 Geneva motor show.
It’s unclear if any of these upcoming Fiat EVs will be coming to Australia at this stage.
The Fiat 500e is still set to arrive in the first half of this year and will launch with a single fully-loaded La Prima variant that’s priced from $52,500 before on-road costs.
Fiat 500e
According to government approval documents, the Fiat 500e La Prima will only be available in three-door hatchback form with an 87kW single electric motor and 42kWh battery pack.
This is the combination found in higher-spec models in Europe. Notably absent from the documents is the base 23.8kWh battery and 70kW electric motor combination offered in markets like Italy.
With the bigger battery, the claimed range is 320km according to stricter WLTP testing, while the maximum DC fast-charging rate is bumped from 50kW to 85kW.
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Keyword: Fiat using classic names for new EVs launching this year