The news came out over the weekend, but it didn't surprise anyone. Numerous publications reported Fiat's top boss, Olivier François, saying that the division he heads will focus solely on electric vehicles by 2030.
It's no surprise in the sense that many automakers are already moving in this direction. For Fiat, it is the only possible direction, because in North America, the company’s recent performance and prospects are both dim indeed.
Fiat's parent group, Stellantis, has already signaled it sees its future focused on electrification. It has said that by 2030, 70 percent of its sales in Europe will be all-electric models. And in North America? The figure is more modest, at 35 percent. Fiat's move to all-electric will help achieve that goal.
“Between 2025 and 2030, our product lineup will gradually become electric only. This will be a radical change for Fiat,” Olivier François said.
It's hard to know exactly what this means for our market, as Fiat models are a very, very rare breed here. The only model offered in 2021 is the 500X SUV. The 500L and 124 Spider are both listed on the company's website, but they are 2020 vintages that have not been renewed. The 500, the model that spearheaded the brand's comeback in North America a decade ago, is long gone, and there's no indication that the redesigned electric 500 is coming our way.
In fact, if Fiat really wants to succeed in North America, it would probably have to offer wholly new electric models. That's assuming, of course, that Fiat stays in North America. There is hope, however, because Stellantis head Carlos Tavares recently gave all of the company’s brands 10 years to show what they can do. Fiat has everything to gain by making a breakthrough in North America, where profits can become interesting if the sales volume is there.
And with new electric products, who knows?
Stay tuned, as they say.