Back in the spring of 2019, the auto industry was seeing a large shift in engineering and technology. Every major automaker was working on either alternative fuel powertrains, self-driving technology, or connectivity between automobile, phone, and home – consumer and automaker. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) was one automotive group that was a little late to the game, and when it came time for the European Union (EU) to rate vehicles based on CO2 emissions, FCA took heavy hits with its muscle car automaker, Dodge, with the Challenger and Charger doing no favors. To balance things out, FCA signed a contract with Tesla to pool their lineups together to bring down the rating for FCA, with FCA giving Tesla a large payout. This can’t continue, and bets are on the Fiat 500 BEV to save the day.

The payout to Tesla was quite the pretty penny, a near $14 billion to pool vehicles together, but at the time, FCA needed it. As mentioned, Dodge caused some huge EU emissions fines for the automotive group, and to buy its way back in as it were, the automotive group partnered up with Tesla. This contract will continue until 2022, with the payout reduced each year. For the time being, until the FCA lineup grows with alternative fuel choices, this is the current outlook. It’s no wonder just a few months later, FCA invested $800 billion into the development and production of the Fiat 500 BEV.

Set for production in Mirafiori plant in Turin, northern Italy, there were plans for 80,000 units of the 500 EVs. We may not see this electric vehicle in the states – aside from Fiat sales numbers in the U.S., this vehicle is mainly being made to meet the CO2 emissions standards of the European Union. The rules are a little more lax here in America, but they too will change in time. With vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and others popping up, the Fiat 500 BEV is one of many vehicles intended to not only reduce emissions but change the FCA lineup going forward.

“Is 500 a compliance car? It is probably a very good answer to a compliance challenge: to take a car of 200,000 sales a year, the number one in its segment [and electrify it]… We felt it had more potential than any car [in the Fiat-Chrysler business]…Is [500] just a compliance car? No. It has a mission to be profitable, but it will help us hugely – tremendously – to be independent of buying credits anywhere else.” – Fiat President Olivier Francois

2020 was a hard year for the automotive industry. The Coronavirus pandemic brought chaos to the economy and shut down many manufacturing plants, affecting jobs and sales. Now that automakers are bouncing back, many are also adapting to the new world post-pandemic. Although the numbers continue to climb, people are trying to find a new normal, and the auto industry is happy to oblige. With social distancing, needing to use gloves and face masks whenever possible, people don’t want to go to the gas station to fuel up and risk exposure – after the pandemic, many consumers are showing interest in small, electric vehicles. Having a vehicle with only enough space for you and maybe family, able to be charged up in your garage or driveway is the safest option these days. That can only mean a rise in demand for EVs.

Are you looking for an electric vehicle? You can find many options when you shop for a car online with NowCar. 

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