Italian manufacturer Fiat is the latest brand to confirm it will be phasing out all internal combustion engines from its global line-up.
In an overnight announcement, it said this will take place between 2025 and 2030. The latter aligns with when the UK’s ICE vehicle ban is meant to come into effect.
The news comes after Fiat decided to make its most iconic nameplate, the 500, completely electric for its recent update. Although, according to Fiat CEO and Stellantis CMO Oliver Francois, this was already in the works.
“The decision to launch the New 500 – electric and electric alone – was actually taken before Covid-19. Even then, we were already aware that the world could not take any more ‘compromises’. In fact, lockdown was only the latest of the warnings we have received,” he said.
Fiat says it’s working to make electric cars more affordable, while also sinking more investment into the development of improved battery and charging infrastructure.
The news sees Fiat join an increasingly long list of manufacturers who have pledged to phase out ICE in their vehicles. These range from Jaguar and Bentley, to Honda and Volvo.
Interestingly, Fiat represents the first brand in the Stellantis portfolio to announce a deadline for ICE. Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Peugeot, Opel, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Ram, and the rest of the brands under the Stellantis umbrella are yet to announce similar pledges to electrification.
Fiat has a fairly small presence in New Zealand. In the recent past it quietly stopped selling its Mazda MX-5-based 124 Spider convertible. None of its traditional hatchback or SUV offerings are sold here, apart from the 500 Abarth; sold locally in its new 595 Competizione designation.
