"Electric mobility for everyone". This is the motto with which Fiat is tackling the ecological transition. And to make it truly for everyone, the Turin-based company is convinced that electric mobility must be accessible and also practical.
That is why it has decided that it will integrate charging cables inside its cars. It will be placed inside the front bonnet and can be picked up by opening a special compartment just behind the grille. The solution, which will initially be introduced by the Fiat Grande Panda, will also be adopted in other zero-emission models of the brand in the future.
The boot thanks you
It's a clever way to reinvent charging, says Fiat. Indeed, cables often take up space inside the boot and even if they are stored inside a special bag, or under the load floor when you have a double bottom, they eat up centimetres and are impractical to use. Especially in winter or when it rains they get dirty and consequently dirty the interior of the car.
Fiat Grande Panda: the Turin brand's electric car is based on the Smart Car platform
There are electric cars that for this reason derive a frunk, i.e. an additional load compartment in the front, but even in this case, no matter how much the situation improves, soiling the compartment, in the long run, is almost inevitable.
Only good for AC charging
So Fiat's proposal with the Grande Panda is welcomed. This is the first electric car to propose this idea, although the Citroën Ami adopts a similar solution, with an integrated cable inside a compartment in the side.
Citroen Ami: in this case the charging cable is accessible by opening the door
In the case of the Grande Panda, on the other hand, we are faced with a charging cable positioned behind a flap with a logo on the side of the facia. Another smart idea: the cable is of the coiled type, i.e., extendable as required.
However, there is one limitation. The cable in question is only compatible with AC charging up to 7.4 kW. For direct current charging (up to 100 kW), a traditional solution must be used, with a 'normal' cable that attaches to a socket on the side. This is because fast charging causes the cable to overheat and it is therefore best to keep it outside the car.
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Gallery: Fiat Grande Panda (2024)
