​Fiat has finally revealed the first images which show the final design for its long-awaited all-electric Panda. These are the 10 things we know about it so far:

1: It’s grown up: The car will be called Grande Panda, reflecting the fact that it’s grown in size. It’s 3.99-meters long, a massive 30cm longer than the outgoing petrol Panda. This will naturally lift it from being a city car to rival the likes of the Dacia Spring to being a ‘supermini’ sized model which would compete with the Renault 5, Hyundai Inster and BYD Dolphin.

2. It shares its big bits with the new Citroen e-C3: Under the bodywork, the Grande Panda shares its hardware with the Citroen e-C3. That’s no bad thing and helps keep cost low. That should mean a 44kWh battery, giving a range of around 200 miles. It will also have 100kW DC charging capability. 

Don’t expect much in the way of performance though – the Panda will have just 111bhp, giving an estimated 0-60mph time of around 12 seconds.

3. It will be the first of a family of Pandas: Any zoologist will tell you it’s notoriously hard to breed Pandas, but no one has told Fiat. It intends to launch a whole family of Pandas, previewed by concept cars which were shown earlier this year. These will include a bigger SUV, a coupe, and a mini-MPV. The Grande will arrive first in early 2025 and the entire range should be in showrooms by 2027.

4: It will be available with both hybrid petrol and all electric power: The original plan was for the Panda to be a pure electric car, but continued demand for conventionally-powered models means Fiat has kept a hybrid in the mix

5. It has nods to the original Panda: The Grande’s styling is a clever mix of the themes from the original 1980s Panda and the more recent models, which have been a huge success, especially in Fiat’s native Italy. In homage to the classic Panda 4x4, the Panda letters are ‘embossed’ on the doors. 

6. It will be one of the cheapest electric cars you can buy: Like the Citroen e-C3, the Fiat is expected to be really good value, with prices starting at around £21,500 for the electric version. 

7. There’s no 4x4 version planned: It might have butch looks, but Fiat has no plans for a 4x4 version of the Grande Panda. There are expected to be 4x4 versions of the other Panda models though, using the hybrid system used in the Jeep Avenger 4xe

8. It will have real space for five: The old Panda usually had only four seats, and even that was a squeeze for anyone bigger than a toddler. The new model is said to have enough room for the whole family.

9. It’s not the first electric Panda: The Panda was a plug-in pioneer. In 1990 it was the first electric car to be mass-produced by a major world manufacturer. The Panda Elettra had 12 six-volt lead acid batteries and a 12bhp motor, which gave it a top speed of 43mph. The range was 62 miles. It kept the petrol tank as there was a small boiler which was used to heat the car in cold weather, which meant it was not officially a zero-emission vehicle. 

10. The old Panda won’t die: The current model is still selling well and making profits for Fiat, so it will survive until all of the new Pandas are launched in 2027. It will be called the Pandina.
Olivier Francois, FIAT Chief Executive Officer said: “The new Fiat Pandina is a tribute to the love Italians have for Panda. In fact, “Pandina” is actually the nickname people in this country have always given the car.

“The love-story between this Panda and Italy will continue for several more years, thanks to the new investments  that have made it the most technological and safest ever. I also have another reason to celebrate Panda today: in fact we have decided to increase production by 20% to meet customer demand in Italy and Europe.

Read our preview and watch Nicola's video here. ​