FCA and city of Turin to trial automatic switch to electric mode for hybrid cars

On June 3, FCA informed that a collaboration agreement was signed between the Department of Transport, Infrastructure and Mobility of the City of Turin and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to test a system that allow its hybrid plug-in cars to automatically switch to electric-only mode when entering congested city centres.
The project is named “Turin Geofencing Lab” and involves the city authorities and public transport agency GTT (the Operator of public transport companies in Turin), 5T (a city-owned company that manages the ZTL access authorizations) and Centro Ricerche Fiat (the brand’s development center for drive trains, vehicle systems, materials and innovative processes to improve the competitiveness of vehicle models).
The system is based on a prototype system with fully integrated on-board sensors allowing a hybrid vehicle to recognise when it is entering a restricted traffic zone (Zona a Traffico Limitato, ZTL) in the inner city of Turin.
The on-board electronics will then automatically turn off the internal combustion engine and switch to electric mode.
This would allow hybrid cars to enjoy dispensations for electric vehicles in the city centre (the ZTL area), including dedicated parking spaces.
The system has been initially tested on the new Jeep Renegade 4xe hybrid plug-in model. The tests could be extended to the group’s other hybrid models from next year.
The COVID-19 crisis has not significantly delayed FCA’s plans to launch its first full-electric and hybrid models. An electric version of the Fiat 500 small car and plug-in hybrid versions of Jeep’s Renegade and Compass models are due to hit the market this summer.
Roberto Di Stefano, FCA’s Head of EMEA e-Mobility, said: “The Turin Geofencing Lab project represents a great collaboration between the city of Turin, which has to set strict environmental protection rules, and a company like FCA, which must find innovative, affordable solutions for drivers to help improve air quality in our cities. Once this unique pilot project with the city of Turin is completed, we will offer the same technology to other local governments in Italy and abroad.”