The new Citroën 2CV was perhaps the cutest thing unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this year, built in the same spirit as its ancestor but with an all-electric powertrain. Cosmetically, it takes several design cues from the old 2CV and updates them for the 21st century in the coolest possible way.
And with a target sticker price of just €15,000 ($16,800), it could be precisely what the French automaker needs to give budget Chinese EVs a run for their money. Sensing that Citroën might be onto something here, another Stellantis subsidiary is apparently looking to take this particular page out of its rulebook. And the brand in question is Italy’s Fiat.
Fiat Wants A Piece Of The Affordable EV Pie
2026 Fiat TopolinoStellantis
The idea is to take advantage of the European Union’s new M1E-class incentives, a framework partially inspired by Japan’s kei cars. M1E rules encourage manufacturers to build small electric vehicles no longer than 4.2 meters (just under 14 feet) by granting something known as super-credits, which will then allow carmakers to lower their carbon footprint on paper.
And, according to Autocar, Fiat wants to join the party alongside the 2CV. “We are working on a few cars based on the E-car platform,” said Fiat CEO Arnaud Belloni at the Paris Motor Show. “We are preparing a small car which will be based on the 2CV, and it’s going to be a ‘wow.’” Believed to be named the Fiat Koala, it will essentially be an all-electric replacement to the Pandina (previously known as Panda).
What Details Was Fiat Willing To Share So Far?
Citroën 2 CV ConceptCitroën
Although the car will use the same platform as the 2CV, Belloni made it very clear that it won’t be a retro revival. It is apparently as “ready as the 2CV is” according to Fiat’s design boss François Leboine, but the company decided against taking it to Paris last week in order to let Citroën have its time in the spotlight. Instead, it turned up at the event with the modular Multiplay concept and that lovable bite-sized Multiplina.
An array of Panda design cues will reportedly make it onto the electric Koala, which could also draw inspiration from the concepts pieced together by university students as part of a competition held by Fiat. That’s basically the full extent of what we know right now, but expect more details to surface in the not-too-distant future.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Citroën caused quite a stir with the reborn 2CV, and Fiat might be the next automaker to get people excited about cute affordable EVs. Not only that, but such vehicles might be the answer to Europe’s China problem courtesy of their competitive pricing, so we’re likely to see more carmakers following their lead and jumping on the E-Car bandwagon.
And we really wouldn’t mind, because the upcoming 2CV and Fiat’s Multiplina concept have way more character than a lot of generic EVs out there. That’s why we’re aching to learn more about the Koala, and it may not be too long until Fiat lets us get a taste of what it’s been cooking up.
Source: Autocar
