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Within the strategical scope of energy conservation and improvement of human quality of life FIAT is since long time performing activities aimed at the technologies for electrically propelled vehicles for diversified applications. The electricity as energy vector allows an application flexibility to different types of vehicles, full electrics hybrid and multimode vehicles which have been developed at prototypes level or small scale production. The tactical process which has been followed is based on the three phases of: technology research and development demonstration programs and field trials production. The experience achieved within several extensively tested prototypes and pilot service allowed to put in small series production light and medium delivery vans as well as minibuses, which are now in service in Rome and other italian cities.

State-of-art of FIAT's electric vehicles technology is examined. Concepts are explained concerning the choice of possible alternative solutions in the basic definition of electric vehicles. Propulsion systems characteristics, batteries parameters, operational requirements and economics are strictly interrelated. This matter is object of a parametric analysis in the paper. The result is the definition of optimization criteria related to the different applications. The most significant FIAT's developments in the field of electric vehicles are mentioned