The biggest surprise at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show? We believe so. In the year it celebrates its 120th anniversary, Fiat unveils the Centoventi Concept (120 in Italian), a prototype of a compact electric car that, by all appearances, gives very clear clues about the successor to the Fiat Panda — notice the plush Panda inside…
The Fiat Concept Centoventi expresses the Italian brand's idea of “electric mobility for the masses for the near future”, thus betting on a concept of extreme personalization… and not only that.
As Fiat defines it, the Concept Centoventi is a “blank canvas” to meet the tastes and needs of all customers — it is produced in just one color, but you can choose from four different types of roofs, bumpers, wheel trims and wrappings (outer film).
The interior follows this logic, with multiple customization options — whether in terms of colors or even infotainment, and even following a plug and play logic, we can find multiple holes in the dashboard that allow you to fit the most various accessories, with a system patented snap-on, just like Lego pieces.
Even the interior door panels are customizable, and may have storage pockets, bottle holders or speakers. The seats also have detachable seats and backs — allows you to change colors and materials — and the front passenger seat can even be replaced with a storage box or child seat.
New business model
Fiat intends with this approach to eliminate the need for special editions or restylings, as the modular nature of the Centoventi allows its user to customize or even update it at any time — imagine exchanging the bumper and fender modules for new ones. with other colors or even a different design.
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Here may be the foundations for a new business model, which in addition to involving dealers, to assemble six of the 120 available accessories (via Mopar) — bumpers, roofs, body cladding, instrument panel, batteries and digital tailgate — we can assemble (at home) the remaining 114 accessories of your choice, buying them online.
Among them we find, among others, the audio system, the dashboard, the storage compartments or the seat seats.
Other, simpler accessories — coasters, among others — can even be “downloaded” and printed on a 3D printer — could you ever imagine the possibility of printing accessories for your own car?
The possibilities are immense, opening doors to an online community of fans, who can create and sell their creations for Centoventi (or future Panda) in an online store.
Autonomy also to choose from
Unlike other 100% electric proposals, the Fiat Concept Centoventi doesn't come with a fixed battery pack — these are also modular. From the factory everyone leaves with a 100 km range , but if we need more autonomy, we can purchase or rent up to three additional modules, each providing an extra 100 km.“Extra” batteries have to be fitted at the dealer, but thanks to the integration of a sliding rail system, mounting and dismounting these is quick and easy.
There is also an additional battery, to be placed under the seat, which can be removed and charged directly in our house or garage, as if it were an electric bicycle battery. In total, the Fiat Concept Centoventi can have a maximum range of 500 km.
In the brand's official video, you can see the countless possibilities of the Concept Centoventi:
Preview of the new Panda?
The Fiat Concept Centoventi, despite the concept tics — suicidal doors and the absence of the B pillar —, points to the successor of the current Panda (introduced in 2011), which could emerge in 2020 or 2021.
The latest rumors indicate that a new platform will debut that will be shared with the successor of the 500, the new “baby”-Jeep and even with the successor of the… Lancia Y (apparently a new generation is in development).
Considering Concept Centoventi's innovative approach — customizable and upgradable to an unprecedented level — the question arises how much of it will be left over in production.
Fiat claims that the Concept Centoventi is the cheapest battery-powered electric on the market — courtesy of modular batteries — as well as being the easiest to clean, repair or maintain — it even seems to refer to it as a production car...