Alexandre
In 2024, the automotive news will focus more than ever on electric vehicles. With many models now on the market, and many more to come, many manufacturers are facing up to the reality of the figures, Fiat including its electric 500, production of which is still at a standstill due to a lack of orders.
Introduced in 2020, the electric 500 has just completed its 3rd year on the market. And it's fair to say that, if the it has met with some success in France and Germany, This is far from the case in Italy, where it is actually manufactured.
Thus, in 2023, of the 32,981 Fiat 500s registered in Italy, only 4,749 will be electric! In addition to being a poor score, registrations are even down, since 6,285 electric Fiat 500s were registered in 2022... For comparison's sake, in France 32,420 Fiat 500s were registered in 2023, of which 23,635 were electric.. By way of comparison, Germany registered over 3,000 units in December 2023 alone.
These are a situation that Stellantis strongly dislikeswhich once again shut down the Mirafiori plant for a period of 3 weeks. A repeated episode as the plant had already been shut down some 4 months agobecause of this drop in demand.
But then, why do italians favor the polish 500 over the italian 500? We already answered this question 2 months ago, when we interviewed the Fiat product manager. In contrast to France and Germany, in most southern and eastern European countries, subsidies for the purchase of an electric car are lower, the network of recharging stations is much less dense, and the price per kwh is also higher. For example, while France's price is €0.23/kwh, Italy's is €0.37/kwh.
In the short termthe only hope for the Mirafiori plant is therefore the return of the 500 to the North American market. Admittedly, this situation is a cause for concern, as France and Germany cannot be the only two countries to place orders indefinitely. Another solution would be to offer the new 500 with a hybrid powertrainbut this is not currently on the agenda.
The new Fiat 500 is undeniably much better than its predecessor: better finished, with a better driving position, it's much more enjoyable.
Except that the choice is limited to two electric powertrains, and that's not at all convenient in certain countries like Italy, or even for people who don't have charging stations near their homes or in their parking lots. It's incomprehensible that this new-generation 500 isn't offered as a hybrid, and that we have to make do with the old one, which is getting pretty old.
Stellantis is stubbornly trying to force its customers to buy electric, even though it won't suit many of them.
Personally, I find the front end of the electric 500 ugly and unattractive, unlike the petrol version which is a real eye-catcher. That alone would prevent me from buying it.
that's your opinion, but I think this new version of the 500 is very pretty, in any case better than the new MINI!
The problem in Italy is the network, which is lagging far behind.....but the other problems are the short range and the high price of electric cars!
You say it's ugly and prohibitive - that's your opinion!
Exactly Stanislas, in Italy, combustion engines still have good days ahead of them too. Only metropolitans can be attracted to electric cars. But it's a question of culture....
Stellantis should present the 500 thermal with the look of the electric, and it would work immediately.
Stellantis undermined by the French with their electrics that few people really want! Renault,peugeot ,ds .... !!
I have an acquaintance with an audi Q 8 electric ..... awful to use .... he says ... probable return to a real combustion engine!
So please, Italian gentlemen, make us real cars as "sporty".
It's regrettable that the new model wasn't available as a hybrid. Why force the customer to use electric power when nothing was planned, and what's more, they're talking about saving money on fuel consumption? What do you think?
The manufacturers are not really to blame, but our politicians are still making decisions when nothing is ready!
Hello
Unfortunately, since Fiat became part of the Stellantis group, it's been a mess.
I've had Fiat cars for almost 40 years and I won't be buying any new models.
I'll be sticking with my tipo 1.6 multijet, my panda Cross twinair and my ducato 3.0 multijet 180.
Making your cars last is also a good way of preserving the environment 🙂
Thermal is dead, Stellantis can't make products just for Italy. If Italy doesn't develop the necessary infrastructure, there's cycling and of course public transport. And in 10 years' time, when there's finally a charging network, FIAT will be dead and Italians will be buying Renault or Tesla or Chinese cars. And for the record, electric cars are perfectly suited to rural areas.
Since 1928, when monthly car sales statistics were first compiled in Italy, 1st place had never eluded an Italian brand, in this case Fiat. December 2023 saw Fiat debunked for the 1st time by a foreigner, the aforementioned Volkswagen! The beginning of the end?
Sorry to contradict you, but in December 2023, the Panda will still be in first place, and has been for over 10 years.
It's no use wanting this and that...the only language Stellantis understands is sales.
When they realize that a flagship model like the 500 is breaking the g...., you'll see that they'll go back to hybrids ( see Jeep Avenger) only 13% sales in electric. They're going to take a beating with the new Giulia. Everyone, and I mean everyone, who's ever had to take an electric car IN COMPANY, tells me that it's the pits... get a hybrid for the Giulia and the rest....
Car, chronicle of a fiasco foretold
That's why Toyota/Lexus/Mazda/Subaru are number 1, and will be for a long time to come. Without hybrids cel can't function.
the fact that professionals find electrics unsuitable is quite understandable, given the range and charging time incompatible with their use
those responsible are simply the politicians who make decisions without any preparation! they decide and then leave the m.....aux others.
electric cars: battery manufacture, recycling, electricity generation, charging points when you live in the city or in apartments, plus all the other problems.