Starting next year with the Grande Panda, Fiat plans to permanently attach AC charging cables to its electric vehicles, aiming to enhance convenience and cleanliness during the charging process.
According to a report by British Autocar, the Stellantis brand seeks to make AC charging more user-friendly by eliminating the need for drivers to handle and store dirty charging cables. The fixed cable system addresses a common issue where drivers have to fetch the cable from the trunk or frunk, often resulting in it getting dirty from being placed on the ground.
“You have these fantastic cars – full of technology, great materials, nice trims – and the first thing you do is you put the cable on the ground, and it’s dirty and you throw it back in your trunk,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “That’s not very high technology. If you look at vacuum cleaners, they found a better solution.”
The AC charging cable will be mounted to the front of the vehicle, neatly stowing away behind the Fiat logo, as shown in a video posted on social media. The cable appears long enough to reach chargers even if they are not directly in front of the vehicle, such as when the charger is located to the side. The vehicle will also feature a separate DC charging inlet, as the integrated cable does not meet DC charging requirements.
The Grande Panda Electric will be the first Fiat model to incorporate this feature, set to debut next year. Press images released in July already hint at the compartment for the cable. Fiat has announced that all of its next-generation electric vehicles will come with the attached AC cable system.
