Fiat’s European boss, Gaetano Thorel, believes that electric city cars should be at the forefront of Europe’s transition to eco-friendly driving. Speaking at the launch of the new Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid, Thorel told the PA News Agency that he thinks electric city cars are a ‘no brainer’ for customers, particularly in urban areas like London or Milan.
Thorel’s optimism is based on the success of Fiat’s electric models, such as the 500e and Grande Panda Electric, which show that there is still demand for small, affordable cars in the market. The A-Segment city car class has been declining in recent years, largely due to the rise of electric vehicles, but Thorel sees no reason why this trend should continue.
‘I personally think the electric transition is something right in the mid to long-term, probably,’ Thorel said. ‘At the end of the day, the customer drives the choice and demand.’ He drew parallels with other industries, where customer demand drove the shift from older technologies to newer ones, such as from mobiles to smartphones or from traditional TVs to LCD flat screens.
Thorel believes that electric city cars make sense for two key reasons: range is no longer a significant issue, and recharging is straightforward if you have a wallbox at home. ‘The perception should tell you that electric cars should be from the city car segment,’ he added.
The Grande Panda Electric is currently on sale, priced from £21,035, while the 500e starts from £25,035. With these models, Fiat is aiming to lead the charge in the city car segment and drive the adoption of electric vehicles in Europe.
