There is a small chance that the legendary FIAT brand could resume its India operations thanks to the country’s EV push and the FIAT 500 EV compact electric hatch.
FIAT Chrysler Automobiles have all but shut shop on the FIAT brand here in India. With BSVI norms kicking in, it is anticipated that this will be the final nail in the coffin of the iconic Italian brand here in India. A journey that started with the illustrious Premier Padmini will finally draw to a close since the brand has shown no inclination to make their current sparse lineup BSVI-compliant. But for all you FIAT fans out there, the first, faint glimmerings of light at the end of the tunnel may have made an appearance. It seems that FCA (who are doing rather well here in the country with their Jeep brand) could, in the right circumstances, hoist the FIAT flag here in India once more. If the Indian government does more than talk a good game about EVs and offers substantial incentives and the right infrastructure to allow electric vehicles to thrive in the country, FCA could be tempted to launch the new third-generation, all-electric FIAT 500 EV in India.
This new FIAT 500 EV was showcased in Milan last month as a global preview, and it features a completely new, fully electric design. It is bigger and more spacious than the model’s immediate predecessor, while still retaining its pocket-sized charm. The new FIAT 500 EV is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack with a 42 kWh capacity, which translates to a claimed range of 320 km. The hatch comes with easyWallbox tech for trouble-free home charging and an 85 kW fast-charging system. The former allows full charging in as little as 6 hours at home. The fast charging tech is the real deal though. You can extend your range by 50 km in just five minutes’ worth of charging, and reach an 80% charge in 35 minutes. The FIAT 500 EV comes with three driving modes – Normal, Range and Sherpa. The first two are self-explanatory, but the third one needs a bit of elaboration. Named after the heroes of the Himalayas, Sherpa mode is basically an ultra-safe mode where the car’s electronics optimize every small thing such as deactivating the air-con or heated seats, reducing throttle response and limiting top speeds. When you get rid of the electronic nannies though, the FIAT 500 EV is capable of a self-limited 150 km/h top speed, 0-100 km/h in 9 seconds, and 0-50 km/h in just 3 seconds.
Think about it, this hatch makes perfect sense for India. The super-compact dimensions would make for an ideal electric city runabout here in India. It is small enough to navigate even our tightest lanes and zippy enough to carve through the traffic. The one big problem with this plan though is the Italian brand’s penchant for making this car only in Italy. If the follow the same route for the new 500 as they did with the old – bringing it in via CBU at an exorbitant price tag, it is doomed to failure, just like its internal-combustion ancestor. So if FCA are serious about breathing new life into the old FIAT brand, they would be much better off if they made a serious effort rather than a lackadaisical one.
