Fiat Koala: Electric city car based on the 2CV to arrive in 2028

Fiat has secured the name “Koala.” It refers to an electric city car that shares its platform with the new Citroën 2CV and is expected to hit the market in 2028. According to the design chief, it is as advanced as the Citroën concept car. Nevertheless, Fiat did not display it in Paris.

At the Paris Auto Show, Citroën took center stage. There, the new 2CV was displayed as a concept car: 3.76 meters long, weighing around one ton in production versions, scheduled for release by 2028, and priced at about 15,000 euros. Fiat, on the other hand, kept a low profile, although the Italians are preparing a sibling model. “We’re working on several cars based on the E-Car platform. We’re preparing a small vehicle based on the 2CV, and it’s going to be amazing,” Arnaud Belloni told the British magazine Autocar. Belloni is the new head of Fiat, Abarth, and Lancia, having replaced Olivier François.

Design chief François Leboine added that Fiat’s first electric car was “as ready as the 2CV.” However, it was “not the right time” to unveil it. Autocar speculates that Fiat did not want to take the premiere away from its French sister company at their home show. After the Grande Panda and the SUV Grizzly, Leboine now prioritizes the compact car lineup. “We are updating the lower end of our model range,” he said. “That includes the Panda and also the 500 today. We will introduce them at the right time.”

Panda, Grizzly, or Koala?

The new Fiat belongs to the Panda family but doesn’t necessarily have to be called Panda. “Koala now belongs to Fiat,” said Belloni. “We have a Koala, a Panda, and a Grizzly.” Fiat has registered the name as a trademark and will stick to bear names, even though koalas are marsupials from a zoological perspective. Belloni immediately mentioned the only bear name Fiat can’t use: Kodiak, as that’s how Škoda names its large SUV.

The name “Pandina” had already surfaced as a candidate for a new electric car in various reports. At the end of 2023, it was said Fiat’s electric city car would be called Pandina. In early 2024, Fiat unveiled five concept vehicles for its electric future, led by a “Mega-Panda” that was later produced as the “Grande Panda.” Since 2024, the older diesel-powered Panda, which has been sold in Europe for about 15 years, is officially called Pandina.

The Internal Combustion Panda Remains for Now

The new Koala has a solid reason for its name: it clearly distinguishes the electric car from those with internal combustion engines. The latter remains the best-selling car in Italy and is set to continue being produced at the Pomigliano d’Arco plant near Naples at least until 2027. Fiat has pledged to keep offering affordable gasoline engines. Thus, the Koala will not replace the Pandina immediately but will first be available as an additional model in a different class.

This aligns with what Fiat’s Europe head Gaetano Thorel said to Autocar at the beginning of the year: “I need to find a suitable answer for my Panda customers. We need a multi-energy solution.” However, this choice isn’t actually available under the new platform, as Stellantis will rely solely on electric powertrains for upcoming compact cars. Therefore, Fiat provides this choice through two vehicles offered side by side.

What lies behind the E-Car platform

The platform targets a potential new vehicle class proposed by Stellantis and Renault in July 2025, which the EU Commission included in its automotive package in December 2025. M1E class electric vehicles are allowed to be at most 4.20 meters long and must be manufactured in Europe. They are intended to count as 1.3 times as impactful in CO₂ fleet calculations, thereby exerting a greater influence on a manufacturer’s average value than regular electric vehicles. However, the rules have not yet been finalized. The Japanese Kei-cars serve as a model, accounting for around 40 percent of the market there.

Stellantis will adapt the platform to various body styles and brand identities. According to the Italian magazine Quattroruote, the Koala is likely to be shorter than four meters and weigh around a ton, similar to the 2CV. Both vehicles are set to be produced together in Pomigliano, where Stellantis will launch its electric car project in 2028.

Smaller Batteries = lower price?

Ni Fiat nor Citroën has released official technical specifications. However, batteries with a capacity of around 25 to 35 kilowatt-hours are realistic. These could provide a range of approximately 200 to 300 kilometers according to WLTP standards. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) is considered the most likely cell chemistry. Such batteries are cheaper and more durable than nickel-based cells, but store less energy per kilogram. For pure city cars, power outputs of 29 to 37 kW (40 to 50 horsepower) are being discussed, while more versatile versions might have 44 to 66 kW (60 to 90 horsepower). Yet Fiat has not confirmed any of these figures yet.

The low weight is the key factor influencing the price. A lightweight car requires less energy per kilometer, so a smaller battery is sufficient to achieve the same daily range. The battery is the most expensive component in an electric car. The latest starting price cited in the Stellantis group was around 15,000 euros, which is comparable to the price of a 2CV.

No Retro Car

In terms of design, Belloni promises “a completely different approach, not Neo-Retro.” Nevertheless, Panda elements are expected. Evidence of this can be seen in an electric car design competition organized by Fiat this year among Italian students. The public chose the design “Ippo,” a angular compact car that bears similarities to both old and new Pandas. Belloni hinted that Fiat might adopt details from it, as well as from the other finalists Lumo, Su Misura, and Fizz. Since then, Fiat has showcased Ippo alongside Multiplina and Grizzly in strategy presentations. Seven of the students received positions at the design studio, four of whom remain there.

In Paris, Fiat still left with something to show. The brand unveiled the Multiplay concept, a combination of pickup, SUV, and van sized like the Grizzly, as well as a production-ready version of the Multiplina. This four-seater light vehicle in the L7e class reinterprets the 600 Multipla and is set to go into production in 2028.