News

Earth Day is a global event designed to unite people around the planet to engage in eco-friendly information, education and action plans – so what better day for Fiat Professional to reveal more details about its new 100 per cent zero-emissions electric Ducato? The company hosted a live web conference today to show the full capabilities of the vehicle and also to talk about how it has worked in close cooperation with global distribution giant DHL to ensure the vehicle meets the needs of users around the world. The news conference was of huge interest to the camping world, as the regular Ducato has been voted the best camping base vehicle for 13 years running by the industry. It was also evident that if the van can meet the demanding needs of a logistics company, it probably has what it takes to do well as a camping base vehicle too.

What did we learn?

First off, we learnt a little about the ethos behind the E-Ducato. What was very evident was that this is a vehicle that has been made to adapt to the needs of consumers, rather than consumers having to adapt their behaviours to suit an electric vehicle. 

Eric Laforge, head of LCV enlarged Europe at Stellantis, was one of the key speakers during the media event. He said: “For the E-Ducato, we started from the idea of creating not only a “green” vehicle, but also a complete mobility solution, characterized by versatility, reliability, efficiency and sustainability (at both an environmental and an economic level): in short, a working tool to build up your business while respecting the precepts of ecology, a model ready for every mission, uncompromisingly aiming to be the benchmark in the market and to be equipped with the same capabilities as vehicles with internal combustion engines. Its 400 configurations mean it can meet the needs of all professional operators, from freight fleets and construction companies to artisans and municipal service providers.”

What else?

There was plenty of technical spec on offer during the event, as well as information about how the van works in a practical, real-world scenario. Here were some of the key takeaways:

• The van will be available with two different battery blocks: 47kWh and 79kWh. The former can travel up to 235km in the urban cycle, the latter up to 370km in the urban cycle.
• Less than half an hour of charging will give you enough to drive about 100km.
• All batteries will have a 10-year warranty.
• Multiple driving modes are selectable, including Normal, Power and Eco depending on whether you need to handle heavy loads or save battery.
• Will feature a ‘Turtle Mode’ similar to the battery saver function on cellphones – automatically activated on low battery levels to make it last 8-10 per cent longer.
• DHL tested the van very hard in real-world scenarios like low temperatures, on steep hills, with heavy loads etc and was pleased with the results. They have added them to their fleet as part of their goal to be emission free by 2050.
• Pro Fit app launched so people can work out the total cost and savings of using an E-Ducato for work or personal life. 
• Morpar Connect as standard – a connectivity system that helps with accidents, breakdown, theft or even whether you have locked the doors, or where you parked it. 
• An agreement between Stellantis and Engie EPS will be working on plans such as public and home charging stations with a monthly fee, battery life cycle management systems and even integration of a vehicle-to-grid system, so you could make money by selling power back to the grid.
• The van will be built in two facilities, both in Italy – the body at Atessa and the electric side at Mirafiori near Milan.  

All images and video courtesy of Stellantis/Fiat Professional.