Fiat and PSA announce sub-120gCO2/km vans

A quiet green revolution is about to happen in the world of small panel vans. Fiat and PSA Peugeot-Citroen have announced the phase-in of three new commercial vehicles, each with a model with CO2 emissions of 119 g/km.
Marketed as the Fiat Fiorino, the Citroen Nemo and the Peugeot Bipper the new vehicles will be gradually introduced as from the end of 2007. These will replace the current Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo, and will provide Fiat with a new model sized in-between the Grande Punto van and the Doblo Cargo.

The vans will come with petrol and diesel engine options, with the diesel versions having the best fuel economy (64 mpg), fuel cost (around 7p/mile) and emissions (119 gCO2/km). This will place the vans in vehicle tax band B (£35/year). Current CO2 emissions from comparable vans are around 140 g/km (eg the 2007 Peugeot Partner Combi 1.6 HDi).

The tax banding may give some clue as to why now should be the time for Fiat and PSA to launch these vehicles in the UK. As well as increasing pressure from consumers to reduce fuel costs and from companies to reduce emissions, there is also the not-so-small incentive that band B vehicles may receive the full 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge as from February next year (see our news item published in August).

The new light commercial vans have been developed by the on-going partnership between Fiat, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Tofas (equally owned by Fiat and Koç). The vans are manufactured by Tofas at its plant in Bursa, Turkey, which has an installed capacity of 158,000 vehicles a year.

With these new models, Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroën are extending their long-standing cooperation. The launch comes just a few months after the partners revitalised their jointly developed line-ups of large vans (Fiat Ducato, Citroen Jumper/ Relay, Peugeot Boxer) and compact vans (Fiat Scudo, Citroen Jumpy/Dispatch, Peugeot Expert).