2dr Hb Sport Fiat 500 Sport Low Miles Hatchback Manual Gasoline 1.4l 4 Cyl Ross on 2040-cars

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FCA explains, updates sales reporting in wake of investigation

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is currently under investigation by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for possible misappropriation of monthly sales. Not only that but a dealer group filed a lawsuit against the auto company for allegedly bribing dealers to falsify sales reports. In the wake of these mounting pressures, FCA released a report explaining their old sales reporting methods, as well as introducing the method they will use now. The report explains that sales will break down into three main categories. The first category is simply sales made by dealers in the United States that were purchased by your typical consumer. The second group is fleet sales that were purchased directly from FCA. The final group is a mix of various sales including sales by Puerto Rican dealers, cars used for marketing, and vehicles delivered to FCA employees and retirees. The original method of recording these sales relied mainly on the New Vehicle Delivery Report (NVDR). This system allowed dealers to report new car sales at the time of sale. These sales were used to create and report a total at the end of each month. Dealers also had the ability to "unwind" sales. What this means is that a dealer could cancel the sale of a car that was reported as sold in the event that a customer couldn't purchase the car or wanted a different vehicle. This would also return factory incentives to Chrysler and end the warranty period. Fleet and other sales were not recorded through this system, and were rather included in a separate "reserve" of vehicles. FCA explained that it did not know why this was the case, but the company speculated the reason may have been to avoid reporting vehicles that hadn't made it to road use yet. FCA also emphasized that their retail sales reports do not reflect quarterly earnings. The company explained that those earnings are based on vehicles purchased from FCA, which includes sales like the cars dealers buy for their local inventories. The new method also shows FCA's long run of sales increases wasn't as long as first thought. FCA has adopted a new system for calculating sales in light of concerns and confusion. This system retains the categories listed above, but changes how it counts them. The dealer reported numbers will now only include sold vehicles and will deduct sales of unwound vehicles that month.

Icon's 1966 Fiat Giardinetta is a quaint electric city car

If city cars are the ideal candidates for electric powertrains, then the compact Fiat 500 is near perfect for the green technology. Fiat currently offers a brand-new 500e, but for those who like an old-school vibe, Icon 4x4 has just the number. In collaboration with Stealth EV, Jonathan Ward and his team converted a gorgeous 1966 Fiat 500 Giardinetta to full battery electric. Dubbed the Fiat Giardinetta EV Derelict, due to the maintenance of the original car's exterior, this 1966 gem was able to fit electric components while keeping its four-seat configuration. The car has six Tesla-sourced batteries, two in the front and four in the rear to keep things balanced. It uses an Orion battery management system and an AC35 motor. The suspension was bolstered up with coilovers, a bigger panhard bar was added, and the car now uses upgraded disc brakes. Hilariously, it has similar, if not better, specs than Fiat's current 500e. Icon and Stealth EV claim the car has about 80 horsepower and about 100 pound-feet of torque. Using a single-speed gearbox, it revs up to 5000 rpm, and due to the electric powertrain, has 100 percent of its torque the entire way up. The battery kit was able to achieve 120 miles of range at 65 mph in a test run, and the company estimates it could reach 150 miles on a single charge when driven in less taxing city conditions. Keep in mind, this car only has heat but no air conditioning (cold air was possible, but it would be pricey and isn't really necessary when it already has a retractable top). Extra Icon modifications included new weather stripping, new glass seals, and added Dynamat to quiet the old car down. Icon also reupholstered the seats with marine-rated vinyl and incorporated a few Italian leather accents. According to Stealth EV, similar battery modules are available for around $1,500 (remember there are six of these modules in this Fiat) and the kit is not a one-off-specific job. Now that they have the CAD specs, the setup could be replicated fairly easily. We suddenly want a completely impractical mini station wagon. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Recharge Wrap-up: Storm Pulse EV touring motorcycle, Elio COO launches YoYo car subscription service

The Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands has created the Storm Pulse electric touring motorcycle. Its 28.5-kWh modular battery pack provides 236 miles of riding on a single charge. The batteries can be charged on a standard household outlet, and can be swapped out in a matter of minutes. The Storm Eindhoven team is raising money to take the prototype bike on a world tour this summer, covering 40,000 kilometers (24,855 miles) in 80 days, not just to show off the Pulse, but also to demonstrate the feasibility of electric mobility. Check it out in the video above, and read more at Technologic Vehicles. Chile is generating so much solar power that it is giving it away for free. Thanks to its well-developed solar infrastructure – which includes 29 solar farms with 15 more in the works – feeding its central grid (as well as problems distributing it to other parts of the country), the surplus means energy prices have dropped to zero in certain locales for well over a hundred days of the year. Chile is now trying to improve its transmission networks, though lack of revenue could slow future investment in solar power. Read more at Green Car Reports. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is reportedly talking to Uber Technologies about a possible partnership regarding driverless cars. Anonymous sources close to the matter have said that a venture could be announced by the end of 2016. Uber is also in talks with other automakers, according to one source. Having access to Uber's massive fleet of vehicles around the world provides large opportunities for gathering data and improving systems. Sources say Fiat has also been in contact with Amazon about autonomous delivery vehicles. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Former Elio Motors COO Hari Iyer is launching the YoYo car subscription service as its CEO. YoYo will offer cars on-demand with a concierge service, using a pay-per-mile model. Iyer will maintain a relationship with Elio as a member of its Board of Directors, and as a strategic advisor to CEO Paul Elio. "I am proud of our team's accomplishments [at Elio] and the progress we've made to date and will look on with pride when I see an Elio on the road," says Iyer. He adds, "My work at YoYo is continuing our shared mission to usher in a new era of affordable access to cars." Read more in the press release below.