Stellantis has begun trials for battery swapping technology in the Fiat 500e all-electric hatchback, which could offer a fully-charged battery in 5 minutes.
What Happened: The company, which owns various brands like Jeep, Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and more, is conducting test runs for the technology in the Spanish capital Madrid with a fleet of 40 vehicles, Autocar reported on Friday.
The 500e fleet belongs to Fiat’s Free2Move fleet, while the battery swapping trial is being undertaken in collaboration with battery swapping company Ample, the report said.
“We are dedicated to thoroughly testing and analysing this concept in real-world conditions and aiming to expand it to private customers soon,” Fiat CEO Olivier François said, hinting that it could be offered to owners if the trial goes well.
Why It Matters: The news comes in as Stellantis has been making moves in the sector, with the company having recently shared that the Dodge Charger EV in 2026 will be powered by a solid-state battery.
The U.S. auto industry is struggling with supply chain issues as well as curbs on rare earth minerals and magnets imposed by China. However, U.S. President Donald Trump had shared that a deal has been approved pending Xi Jinping’s decision.
Amid the trade tensions, Trump had also highlighted that he may hike the tariffs on the automotive industry to boost domestic production. “I might go up with that tariff in the not too distant future. The higher you go, the more likely it is they build a plant here,” Trump said.
benzinga.com
