Stellantis partners with Luvly for affordable flat-pack EVs

Stellantis, the parent company of brands like Fiat and Jeep, is starting a partnership with Swedish company Luvly to create affordable flat-packed electric vehicles (EVs). This initiative aims to produce mini EVs that can be shipped easily in parts, similar to how Ikea sells furniture. The new model, named O, will be a small quadricycle. It can reach a top speed of 56 mph and has a range of 62 miles on a small, swappable battery. The price is expected to be around £8,400, making it accessible for city residents. Luvly uses a unique design that allows them to pack multiple unassembled cars into a single shipping container. This method significantly lowers transportation costs. Once the parts arrive at local assembly centers, professionals will put the cars together for delivery to buyers. Hakan Lutz, Luvly's CEO, expressed optimism about this collaboration with Stellantis. He believes it can demonstrate effectiveness and set a benchmark for safety and economics in the EV industry. Meanwhile, Stellantis recently faced challenges with another brand, Maserati. The company decided to cancel the electric version of the MC20 sports car due to low consumer demand. This decision came as Maserati struggled with sales, prompting Stellantis to withhold a significant investment in future electric models.