New Fiat will be sold in petrol, hybrid and electric forms and take on the same-sized Renault 5 EV
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Fiat has previewed the new electric Panda as one of five radically styled concepts that look ahead to a range of new affordable cars due on sale worldwide by the end of the decade.
The retro-futuristic City Car concept was revealed on the eve of the Geneva motor show, where the headline unveiling was Renault’s same-sized and similarly conceived 5, which will be a direct rival for the final version of the Italian car.
The concept previews the first of Fiat’s new-era models that will be revealed in July as part of the brand’s 125th-anniversary celebrations. It will be followed by one new car every year – described as “children of the Panda” (see p13) – until 2027.
These models will share a common architecture: sibling brand Citroën’s cost-effective Smart Car platform, which was designed originally for the Indian- and Latin Americanmarket C3 but has since been adapted for European sale.
This platform can accommodate combustion, hybrid and electric powertrains, and Fiat will continue to offer each across its line-up in a bid to remain accessible to as many people in as many markets as possible.
It is expected to share its powertrain offerings with the C3. In EV guise, the C3 has 111bhp and a choice of two batteries, giving ranges of 124 and 199 miles. Its starting price is less than €20,000 (£17,100), which the Panda EV is expected to match. The petrol Panda could cost as little as £15,000.
With a larger footprint than the current car’s, the City Car concept is “a sort of mega-Panda”, according to Fiat, but it’s still expected to be among the smaller full-sized cars available in Europe, despite morphing into a higher-riding compact crossover, like the Citroën to which it is related.
The concept’s upright stature, chunky proportions and contrasting lower bodywork show the Panda will lean into
