Latest news with #OlivierFrançois
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fiat plans to produce 5,000 units of new Fiat 500 Hybrid by 2025
Stellantis' Fiat plans to produce 5,000 units of the Fiat 500 Hybrid at its historic Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy, by 2025, a significant step in the plant's revitalisation. The pre-production activity of the vehicle is already underway, adhering to Stellantis' strategic roadmap shared with the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy in December last year. Production is scheduled to begin in November 2025. This initiative is poised to rejuvenate the Turin facility, with plans to boost Fiat 500 Hybrid production by an additional 100,000 units annually. The Fiat 500 Hybrid will be available in three configurations: the classic Hatchback, the 3+1 with a rear-hinged door, and the unique Cabrio convertible. The vehicle is powered by the Italian-made 1.0L FireFly mild-hybrid engine, coupled with a six-speed manual transmission. This 12V electrical system is designed to optimise fuel efficiency. The company said that the Fiat 500 Hybrid model is equipped with the Uconnect 5 system, with a 10.25in customisable touchscreen and a 7in digital display. It will offer full wireless compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for smartphone integration. Additionally, the Fiat 500 Hybrid features a suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic sign recognition. Stellantis global CMO and FIAT CEO Olivier François said: 'Bringing the 500 Hybrid back to Mirafiori is a promise kept—a win driven by a committed team that chose to bet on the customer and the future. 'This factory is more than just a production site; it's FIAT's home, the beating heart of a story that began in 1957 with Dante Giacosa and today stands as a hub of Stellantis innovation in Europe. Our industrial plan for Italy puts Mirafiori and the 500 at the centre of our revival.' This June, Stellantis launched a voluntary redundancy scheme targeting 610 workers at the Mirafiori plant, as part of a workforce adjustment strategy within its operations in the country. "Fiat plans to produce 5,000 units of new Fiat 500 Hybrid by 2025" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Auto Car
13-06-2025
- 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.
