The new, all-electric Fiat e-Ducato van has been revealed
The Italian brand’s first zero-emissions commercial vehicle has entered the final stages of its development programme in a pilot scheme with several “major clients,” ahead of going on sale in the UK in autumn 2020.
The e-Ducato’s electric motor offers similar performance to the van’s least powerful 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, with an output of 121bhp and 280Nm of torque. The motor allows the panel van to haul a payload of up to 1,950kg – although Fiat has limited its top speed to just 62mph to maximise the vehicle’s range.
The e-Ducato is the result of an extended series of measurements and tests, taking into account all the variables of usage by different types of clients, as well as dynamic, load and environmental aspects. The new electric vehicle will soon join the methane-driven Ducato Natural Power in the offering of alternative propulsion systems.
The development of the e-Ducato included over one year of on-road measurements to analyse more than 28,000 connected vehicles. The measurements from a client’s perspective were taken by a dedicated team of professionals on vehicles with combustion engines running more than 50 million kilometres, to take into account all the variables of client usage, dynamics, load, and environmental aspects. The analysis was focused on mileage, model variability for any kind of mission, fuel expenditure, vehicle usage, and temperature. By adopting this approach, Fiat aims to offer comprehensive electric mobility solutions.
With an analysis of energy demand as a starting point, these solutions will not only cover every single task, they will also provide answers ranging from the vehicle to infrastructure, not to mention a whole range of the everyday services increasingly required by a new and emerging mobility. In addition to a full line-up of versions, the e-Ducato also offers modular options for battery size, with ranges in a typical urban real delivery cycle from 200 to over 330 km at standard environment conditions, depending by battery pack, and a variety of charging configurations. It also comes with high-potential performance: speed limited to 100 km/h for improved energy absorption, maximum output of 90 kW and maximum torque of 280 Nm.
Buyers will have their choice of either a 47kWh or 79kWh battery pack, which provide claimed ranges of 124 or 205 miles respectively. Charge times show promise, too; when plugged into a 7kW wallbox charger, the smaller unit will recover a full charge in eight hours. Using a 50kW DC fast-charger, the same battery will reach 80 % capacity in just 50 minutes.
The e-Ducato’s battery pack is mounted under the van’s floor and its electric motor occupies the same space as the standard Ducato’s combustion engine – which means it retains the same carrying capacity. The new electric engine does not penalise the Ducato’s strengths either: best-in-class load volume from 10 to 17 m3, with a similarly best-in-class payload of up to 1,950 kg. Even more so, the e-Ducato is 100% connected, with an exclusive suite of features that cover the professional and electrification requirements of every kind of client, from user-choosers to sizable fleets that use a fleet management system.
From launch, the e-Ducato will be available as either a panel van or a chassis cab. The former option will be available in three lengths and three heights, while the latter will offer a choice of four lengths. A minibus variant will also be available, offering seating for up to nine passengers.
Fiat has also updated the e-Ducato’s interior to match its electric powertrain. In place of the standard van’s rev-counter there’s a new charge indicator – and Fiat has tweaked the van’s infotainment system with some unique graphics. There’s also a new control unit mounted to the driver’s A-pillar, which can be used to set the van’s daily charging schedule.
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Fiat says the e-Ducato “has not been designed for long journeys.” Instead, the company hopes it will find uses as a last-mile delivery vehicle or a short-distance shuttle – especially in emissions-conscious cities such as London, Glasgow and Leeds.
Prices will start from around £48,000 excluding VAT, but including the government’s £3,000 plug-in vehicle grant. Fiat is aiming to put all three variants on sale in the UK during autumn this year.
