The Grande Panda will be first offered in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and will be available in both electric and mild hybrid versions

The car was designed in Turin by the Centro Stile Fiat and will be assembled in the Stellantis group plant in Kragujevac, Serbia

KRAGUJEVAC, July 22, 2024 - FCA Serbia today inaugurated the new test production line of the electric model of the Fiat Grande Panda at the Stellantis plant in Kragujevac.

The ceremony was attended by Carlos Tavares CEO of Stellantis, Silvia Vernetti CEO of FCA Serbia, President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, together with the highest Serbian state officials including the Minister of Finance Siniša Mali, Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarović, the Minister of Environmental Protection Irena Vujović, Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesić, Mayor of Kragujevac Nikola Dašić and the Italian ambassador to Belgrade, Luca Gori.

Inspired by the iconic 1980s Panda, the Grande Panda is a compact family car designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. As the first model in Fiat’s new global lineup, it features a versatile multi-energy platform, marking Fiat’s transition from local production to a global offering.

The Grande Panda will be available in both electric and hybrid versions. This B-segment vehicle, under 4 meters long, offers clean lines, a spacious interior, and a 5-person capacity, perfect for family comfort and urban mobility.

It took two years to prepare for production, which included upgrading, modernizing, and adapting the facility for integrating and deploying advanced manufacturing technologies for the production of a new platform of electric vehicles (EV). Additionally, PV equipment was installed to generate part of the energy needed at the plant. The process improvements also involved training, upskilling, and reskilling the plant's employees. A total of 190 million euros have been invested, with 48 million provided by the state.

Opening the ceremony, Silvia Vernetti, CEO of FCA Serbia, stated that the trial production of the Grande Panda would be a turning point in Stellantis's successful operations in Serbia.

Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, said that his company had delivered on a promise made two years ago and that the production of the Grande Panda would continue to write a new chapter for Fiat in Serbia.

President Aleksandar Vučić stated today that this is a significant day for our country. He emphasized that this factory symbolizes the joint success of Serbia and Stellantis and the fight for accelerated progress.

Photo: TANJUG / Rade Prelic