Latest news with #OlivierFrançois
Auto Car
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Five minute full charging is here as Fiat trials battery-swapping tech with its 500e supermini
Close Stellantis is trialling battery-swapping technology with the Fiat 500e in a bid to offer full EV recharging in just five minutes. If the trial is successful, this could eliminate one of the biggest barriers to EV ownership: charging time. Currently taking place in Madrid, the trial involves a small fleet of 40 500es that have been adapted to use a pack (of unspecified size) from battery-swapping firm Ample. The fleet is operated by Stellantis-owned car-sharing firm Free2Move and being driven by users in the city. The cars are currently serviced by a single battery-swapping station, but more are planned to be created in the city as part of the trial, which has been supported by a €9.8 million (£8.2m) grant from the Spanish government. What's more, Stellantis plans to expand the fleet to 100 cars in the coming months. If the trial is successful, the technology will be offered to private customers, promised Fiat CEO Olivier François. 'We are dedicated to thoroughly testing and analysing this concept in real-world conditions and aiming to expand it to private customers soon," he said. 'That is why we believe deeply in this project and have chosen our iconic Fiat 500 to spearhead the initiative. "It will provide invaluable insights for both our brand and the group as we shape the future of mobility.' It's unclear if the trial will be expanded to other Stellantis EVs, given that the 500e is based on a bespoke platform and not the e-CMP EV platform used by Citroën, Peugeot, Vauxhall et al.
Miami Herald
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Fiat's New Hybrid 500 Will Get a Manual Transmission
Fiat is doing something unusual: pairing a hybrid powertrain with a six-speed manual transmission. Official teaser images of the upcoming 500 Hybrid show a slick black shifter inside the familiar retro-styled cabin. The transmission is expected to be connected to a 1.0-liter three-cylinder mild-hybrid engine, likely borrowed from the Fiat Pandina. That engine only makes around 69 horsepower - similar to the previous gas-powered 500 that went off sale last year - but the appeal here isn't outright speed. That appeal rests within the 500's charm, efficiency, and affordability. Fiat's goal isn't to build a hot hatch; it's to bring back an accessible, gas-powered option for buyers who found the electric 500e either too expensive or too limiting. Ironically, Fiat had to reverse-engineer this version of the 500. The 500 Hybrid is based on the same architecture as the 500e, which was initially developed to be electric-only, but after the 500e failed to gain traction in Europe, Fiat was forced to rethink its approach. Slow sales and repeated production pauses signaled that the brand needed to meet buyers where they were, particularly those not yet ready to go full EV. That meant redesigning parts of the EV's platform to accommodate a small engine and the cooling systems that come with it. The only major visual change is a functional front grille added for the hybrid's cooling needs. Otherwise, the car retains its clean, electric-era styling. Fiat CEO Olivier François summed it up clearly: "500 Hybrid offers affordable electrification and iconic style, proof that social relevance is at the core of the brand mission." Translation: the 500e's pricing and EV-only setup weren't aligned with its traditionally budget-conscious buyers, and the new hybrid version is meant to fix that. The move also helps Fiat stay competitive in a segment that still values manual transmissions, particularly in European markets, where drivers are more accustomed to shifting gears themselves. The brand hopes that this blend of modern tech and old-school feel will help bring customers back. For now, the 500 Hybrid is a Europe-only affair. That may frustrate American fans of small, engaging city cars, especially after the 500e finally arrived in the U.S. in 2024. There's been no announcement of a stateside release for the hybrid, but given the buzz it's generating, Fiat could reconsider. Meanwhile, the Abarth performance version of the 500 will remain EV-only. Fiat says the hybrid engine simply doesn't deliver enough power for the Scorpion-badged hot hatch. Still, the regular 500 Hybrid seems to have struck a balance between nostalgia and necessity, one that might just be what Fiat needed all along. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
