Turin (Italy) (AFP)
The Italian manufacturer Fiat, which is part of the Stellantis group, has transformed its legendary test track on the roof of its former Lingotto factory in Turin into a huge hanging garden, quite a symbol for a car brand determined to go electric.
"One hundred years ago, this place was a hotbed of pollution, with a secret and inaccessible test track", which has now become "the largest roof garden in Europe, open to all," said Wednesday evening during of its inauguration the general manager of the brand, Olivier François.
More than 40,000 plants now cover the roof of the historic factory, built between 1916 and 1922, which ceased production in 1982, giving way to Mirafiori, Fiat's other large factory in Turin.
The garden covers an area of 2.7 hectares, the size of three football fields.
The track of yesteryear, where Fiat cars were tested as soon as they came off the assembly lines, will now be reserved exclusively for electric vehicles as well as bicycles and scooters.
To compete with Volkswagen, Renault or Volvo, which presented ambitious electric roadmaps in early 2021, Stellantis announced in July its intention to invest 30 billion euros in the electrification of its ranges by 2025 and in softwares.
By 2030, with a range "equipped with almost 100% electric versions", the sixth largest manufacturer in the world intends to sell more than 70% of low-emission cars (electric or hybrid) in Europe.
Fiat will gradually become 100% electric "as soon as the price of electric cars approaches that of thermals", ie between 2025 and 2030, according to Olivier François.
The new electric Fiat 500 has already had initial successes, totaling sales of more than 40,000 units in Europe, 74% of which outside Italy, since its launch in October 2020.
In total, Fiat has "sold a million vehicles since the start of 2021", up 36%, thus becoming "the leading brand of the Stellantis group", announced Mr. François, saying he was "optimistic" for the future "after ten extremely difficult years".
"My goal is to consolidate this trend for the rest of the year, despite the semiconductor shortage," and "to maintain our 5% market share in Europe," he explained.
The new museum dedicated to the Fiat 500 on the roof of its old factory in Turin, September 22, 2021 MARCO BERTORELLO AFP
"From 2023, Fiat will unveil at least one new model per year, each available in a fully electric version," he promised.
Fiat also inaugurated Casa 500, a new museum installed on the roof of the Lingotto dedicated to the icon of the brand, retracing the history of the famous small Italian car with rounded shapes.
© 2021 AFP