The Fiat Panda 4x4 has been given an electric second life in the form of the exclusive Panduccia series
Garage Italia Customs has unveiled the Panduccia, an electric interpretation of the classic first-generation Fiat Panda 4x4. The Panduccia is designed specifically for Isola di Culuccia, a farm on the peninsula of the same name on the northern coast of Sardinia, in the Gallura region.
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The project was initiated by Turin entrepreneur Marco Boglione, the owner of the farm. He wanted to combine the reliability of the iconic Panda with an environmentally friendly powertrain. The project involved the Newtron Group, a company specialising in converting internal combustion engine cars into electric vehicles.
The Panduccia is based on a 1990s Fiat Panda 4x4 adapted to the specific conditions of Sardinia - dirt roads with steep climbs. In such conditions two prototypes have already travelled about 2000 km, showing decent results in terms of reliability and cross-country ability.
The electric car has a permanent all-wheel drive, electric motor and battery, although its capacity is not disclosed. The claimed range is over 140 kilometres, with a top speed limited to 90 km/h. The ground clearance allows to overcome water obstacles with depth of more than 50 cm, and angles of ascent exceed 40 degrees.
Despite its utilitarian nature, the Panduccia has air conditioning, heating and power steering. The interior is designed with ease of maintenance in mind - it is easy to clean even after heavy use in farming.
Although the project was originally created as a one-off for a specific area, the Garage Italia team has announced its intention to build a small series of six cars over the next two years to replace the petrol cars used there.
The initiative comes as part of the wider Icon-e programme, which aims to give a new green life to classic Italian car models.
Source: Motor1
