FCA & Kaluza to build smart charging for Fiat 500 in UK
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has teamed up with energy platform Kaluza to develop smarter charging services for its customers. The first stage of development will see a new charging service offered to Fiat 500 EV customers, using the Kaluza platform.
As with usual smart charging offers, the new service of FCA and Kaluza will leverage live data from local grid operators to manage loads in line with grid requirements. FCA also hopes this will help to keep the cost even lower.
Says Roberto Di Stefano, head of e-Mobility for the EMEA Region at FCA: “The agreement with Kaluza to explore smart charging technologies represents an excellent opportunity to reduce vehicles’ charging costs and subsequently the total cost of ownership.”
A trial set for early 2021, will see a select group of Fiat 500 EV customers in the UK test the new infrastructure and provide ongoing feedback. This also means that Fiat is making the UK market a testbed for innovation. They had also launched the Prima first edition of the small electric car there.
FCA has dedicated an entirely new platform for the small electric car and FCA chief marketing officer Olivier Francois has called it a “kind of an urban Tesla” before.
The company had only recently introduced yet another version of the small electric car in the form of the 3+1. Prices have also been put for some time and start at 19,995 pounds, after the plug-in grant.
In Italy, FCA is also considering to join Engie to develop and offer charging solutions as reported.
Kaluza is part of OVO and offers a cloud-based solution.
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