Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has signed two agreements for new e-Mobility solutions to support the production and distribution of the plug-in hybrid and full-electric models rolling out as part of the Group’s 2018-2022 business plan.
Through these agreements, FCA dealers will be able to offer innovative charging solutions and services to retail and business customers. This initiative also includes research and testing of new technologies to reduce the total cost of ownership of electrified vehicles.
Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said: “These partnerships build on the e-mobility strategy we announced last year as part of our five-year business plan We are assembling an eco-system of partners, products and services across multiple markets to meet and exceed the rapidly evolving expectations of our customers for electrified vehicles.”
The two partners, Enel X and ENGIE are both global leaders in the energy sector. The ENGIE partnership includes its subsidiaries ENGIE Eps, specializing in energy storage with which FCA has collaborated for more than two years, and EVBox, a leader in the production of charging stations. The partners will work with FCA across all major markets in Europe capitalizing on the technologies developed in recent years and introducing innovative solutions for private and business customers. Enel X will cooperate with FCA in Italy, Spain and Portugal, while ENGIE will collaborate with FCA in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Netherland, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and UK.
The primary objective of the two partnerships is to offer private and public charging solutions to support sales of FCA’s forthcoming electric vehicle line-up including the soon-to-be-launched Fiat 5oo BEV and Jeep Renegade PHEV.
This includes offering customers the option of installing a home charging point (or “wallbox”) suited to their specific requirements, including charging optimization and smart management. Each partner will support FCA customers with the preliminary feasibility assessment and installation of the wallbox, as well as ongoing management and maintenance throughout the life of the customer vehicle and wallbox.
In addition to home charging points, customers will also be offered cost-efficient and convenient access to public charging solutions. FCA and its partners will collaborate on the development of apps that will enable customers to locate public charging points, as well as book and pay for charging services via their vehicle’s integrated connectivity capability.
FCA will work with the partners to continue the training and electrification activities of its dealer network across Europe. Dedicated training programs have already been designed for the sales force and other personnel at FCA’s dealerships. Furthermore, charging infrastructure solutions are also under development for dealership forecourts, customer parking, test-drive areas and service centers.
Over the next two years FCA will install approximately 700 Enel X charging stations at its Italian plants, offices and R&D centers, as well as employee parking areas, enabling employees to recharge their vehicles during working hours. FCA and Enel X will also launch a pilot program for the development of new charging services and solutions.
