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Fiat E-Ducato is Stellantis' first all-electric delivery large van

MILAN, Italy — Stellantis on Thursday launched its first fully electric large van, the Fiat E-Ducato, as part of its bid to expand its range of battery electric and hybrid vehicles. Stellantis has said it would offer electric versions of almost all of its European lineup by 2025, as the auto industry faces regulatory pushes in Europe and China to accelerate the shift to zero-emission vehicles. The E-Ducato, is already available for orders to clients and will be followed this year by other similar large vans produced by Stellantis under the Peugeot, Opel and Citroen brands. The E-Ducato's performance can match that of a diesel van, Fiat says, with the electric motor producing torque of 206 pound-feet and up to 122 hp. Acceleration of 0-50 km/h (31 mph) is done in 5 seconds. The E-Ducato has two battery blocks available: 47 kWh and a best-in-class 79 kWh, and will ultimately have four types of charging modes, three of them available at launch. Range figures in an urban delivery setting are 146 miles with the 47-kWh battery, and Fiat say the E-Ducato can travel up to 229 miles on a charge in a more urban delivery setting. It can take a 60-mile charge in a half-hour. Batteries have a warranty of 8 years/99,000 miles on the 47-kWh model and 10 years or 136,000 miles on the 79-kWh version. The E-Ducato is produced in Atessa, Stellantis' only plant in Italy running almost at full capacity, but will have its electric powertrain installed in Turin's Mirafiori. Stellantis, formed at the start of this year through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot maker PSA, is Europe's largest light commercial vehicle maker. It already offers full electric versions of medium-sized vans and said it would start deliveries in Europe of its first medium-sized vans powered by hydrogen fuel cells by the end of this year. The E-Ducato was developed in a partnership with delivery service DHL.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

UAW chooses FCA as lead bargaining company

The United Auto Workers has chosen Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as its lead bargaining company as it seeks to finalize new contracts with the 140,000 or so workers represented by the union. That doesn't mean the UAW won't continue to talk with Ford and General Motors. "All three companies have been working with UAW bargaining teams toward a collective bargaining agreement and continue to do so," UAW President Dennis Williams said in a statement. It does mean, however, that any deal the UAW strikes with FCA will form the basis of bargaining talks with the other two American automakers. Contracts between the UAW and the Detroit Three automakers are set to expire tonight at midnight. If no deal is made, both parties may vote to extend the previous contract. Industry analysts polled by The Detroit News suggest that a deal with FCA might be the most difficult to reach, since it is the smallest and least profitable of the three US car companies, and because of its high percentage of second-tier workers. There's a super short statement on the matter from the UAW, and there's an equally concise confirmation from FCA. Feel free to read them below. Detroit – The UAW this afternoon announced that FCA US LLC will be the lead target in Big Three auto talks. "All three companies are working hard toward a collective bargaining agreement. At this time, the UAW has selected FCA US LLC to be the lead bargaining company," said Dennis Williams, President of the UAW. "All three companies have been working with UAW bargaining teams toward a collective bargaining agreement and continue to do so." -------- Statement regarding the Status of Contract Talks between FCA US LLC and the UAW FCA US LLC confirms that it has been selected as the company to set pattern on a collective bargaining agreement with the UAW. As negotiations are ongoing, the Company can offer no further comment at this time.

Fiat Chrysler cuts 2018 outlook, shares tumble on weaker quarterly profit

MILAN — The news of former Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne's death arrived Wednesday moments before the group reported a surprisingly heavy drop in profit. The death of one of the auto industry's most tenacious and respected CEOs overshadowed a big selloff in Fiat Chrysler shares. FCA's scheduled second-quarter earnings presentation, led by Marchionne's successor and former lieutenant Mike Manley, began on Wednesday afternoon with a moment of silence. As eulogies flooded in, FCA shares fell as much as 10 percent as investors digested an unexpected 35 percent fall in net profit, well below market forecasts. Marchionne rescued Fiat and Chrysler from bankruptcy after taking the wheel of the Italian carmaker in 2004 and he multiplied Fiat's value 11 times through 14 years of canny dealmaking. He was due to step down at FCA in April next year. "The best way to honor his memory is to build on the legacy he left us, continuing to develop the human values of responsibility and openness of which he was the most ardent champion," Chairman John Elkann added. On Saturday, FCA named Jeep division head Mike Manley, 54, as head of the world's seventh-largest carmaker, saying the Briton would execute a strategy that Marchionne had outlined in June. FCA has said Manley will work to ensure a "strong and independent" future for the group. Underlining the task facing Manley, FCA cut its full-year earnings outlook after the weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings. Having to deliver the bad news four days into his new job, Manley blamed the result on a weaker performance in China, a market that represents one of new CEO's immediate headaches. "The biggest challenges we face and frankly we're going to continue to face ... are all focused in China," Manley said. FCA has yet to make any significant inroads in China. In Marchionne's June plan, FCA pledged to boost production of sport utility vehicles and invest in electric and hybrid cars to double operating profit by 2022. It unveiled bold targets for Jeep, FCA's profit engine. FCA said adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for the April-June period fell 11 percent to 1.7 billion euros ($1.99 billion), compared with 2 billion euros in a Reuters poll of analysts. Chinese demand slumped in the quarter ahead of a July cut in import duties, resulting in higher incentive spending and an increase in unsold vehicle stocks that "particularly affected Maserati," Manley said.