Fiat’s foray into the electric world was not an early one, outside of an awful attempt at the old fiat 500, fiat only added hybrid cars to the lineup in 2020. However, it has been rapid, with the next generation 500 being all-electric and all models having an electrified version by the spring of 2022. But Fiat is now making the leap of faith, axing anything that isn’t at least a mild hybrid by July of this year.
In actuality, this really means the retirement of the 1.0l petrol engine, which is available currently in the Tipo and 500X.
The end of these means an increase in the base price, and no more manuals in these larger cars Fiat make. The 70hp mild-hybrid in the Panda and 500 still show manual representation in fiat. But what does it mean?
Well if you want a manual Tipo or 500x, act fast. If you don’t, not much, other than the fact Stellansis are treating Abarth and Fiat as separate brands, rather than the Mercedes-Benz-AMG approach as Abarth continue to use petrol powerplants. It also shows manufacturers are finally taking electrification seriously, and I think over the next 2 years we will a more apparent shift away from ICE cars in Europe. I’m still an EV skeptic but I really don’t mind it in the case of Fiat. No engine Fiat makes is inherently great so there is not really much to be lost, especially since the hybrids use the same basic blueprints.
It’s not like, I don’t know, making the iconic, shouty, firebreathing C63 a 4 cylinder hybrid….
Thanks for reading.
Photo Credit:
Stellansis
Published in New and Noteworthy
