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Fiat surprises the automotive market by launching the first mild hybrid models. With Mild Hybrid technology, these SUVs promise economy, sustainability and greater mobility to the people of São Paulo.
O transit São Paulo may be about to get an unexpected break. Imagine seeing the city’s traffic jams ease, even slightly, thanks to an innovation in the automotive market.
Fiat has just launched two new hybrid models, and they bring a special advantage to São Paulo residents: These cars are exempt from municipal traffic restrictions. But what exactly does it mean to be a mild hybrid, and how does this guarantee exemption from traffic restrictions?
Fiat's new SUVs, Press e Fastback, were designed with a mild hybrid system, known as Mild Hybrid.
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This technology does not use the electric motor to drive the vehicle, but supports the combustion engine, making the car more fuel efficient.
This system represents a step in the democratization of hybrids, which are generally expensive and inaccessible to most consumers.
Now, with a combustion engine assisted by a simple electrical system, the vehicles promise to be a more economical and accessible option.
Mild Hybrid Technology: What is it and how does it work?
The hybrid system of the new Fiat models is called Mild Hybrid or mild hybrid. This system has an electric motor that does not have the capacity to drive the car.
Instead, it simply acts as a support for the combustion engine, optimizing fuel consumption and reducing emissions.
The electric motor receives power from a 12 volt lithium battery, which is compact and does not excessively increase the cost of the vehicle, unlike traditional hybrids with more powerful and complex batteries.
Fiat announced that the first engine model to receive this technology is the 1.0 TurboFlex T200, which uses the electric motor efficiently to assist the main combustion engine.
According to industry experts, this combination is especially interesting for those looking to save money without giving up the practicality of a combustion engine.
Pulse and Fastback: the SUVs that lead the democratization of hybrids
The models chosen to debut this technology in Brazil are the Press and the Fastback, both popular and widely used SUVs.
This launch is part of Fiat's strategy to popularize access to more sustainable and efficient technologies, something that is generally restricted to high-cost models.
With this approach, Fiat is betting on a competitive edge: an affordable vehicle that has the benefits of a hybrid, such as the exemption from the rotation in São Paulo.
The choice of the Pulse and Fastback models for this innovation is also strategic.
Both are SUVs, a category that has gained popularity in Brazil and is seen as ideal for families and people looking for more space and comfort in their vehicle.
With this mild hybridization, Fiat enables a greater number of drivers to opt for a more environmentally friendly model, without having to bear the high costs that usually accompany traditional hybrid vehicles.
Benefits of mild hybrid: more savings and fewer restrictions
In addition to offering a more economical driving experience, Fiat's new hybrid models have an important advantage for those who live in large cities like São Paulo: exemption from the traffic restrictions.
This is because, according to municipal regulations in São Paulo, hybrid vehicles are exempt from complying with the vehicle rotation, a measure that aims to reduce the number of cars on the streets on certain days of the week.
This benefit is particularly attractive for those who travel around the city every day and want to avoid the hassle of the rotation system.
Fiat is betting that, with this exemption, the Pulse and Fastback models will become even more desirable, especially for those looking for alternatives to facilitate urban mobility without sacrificing convenience and performance.
Fiat and the promise of democratizing hybrids
The introduction of the Mild Hybrid system in the Pulse and Fastback models is a step towards democratizing hybrids in Brazil. Traditionally, hybrid vehicles tend to be expensive, which limits their access to a small portion of the population.
With an affordable hybrid system, Fiat seeks to attract new consumers who are looking for savings and, at the same time, want to contribute to a cleaner environment.
According to industry experts, this initiative could open doors for other automakers to invest in more accessible technologies, expanding the supply of sustainable vehicles on the Brazilian market.
As highlighted by the news portal Folha de S. Paulo, the democratization of hybrids is a trend that has been growing in recent years, and Brazil is following this movement, albeit with a certain delay in relation to other countries.
Exemption from the rotation system: savings and sustainability in one package
With Fiat's new hybrid models, drivers of São Paulo gain a vehicle option that combines sustainability process e practicality.
The exemption from the rotation allows Pulse and Fastback owners to have more freedom of movement in the city, an advantage that, in addition to saving time, also helps to reduce pollution levels in urban areas.
These new Fiat models could therefore mark the beginning of a significant change in the profile of hybrid cars in Brazil.
The public will have the opportunity to choose models that offer the benefits of a hybrid without the high costs usually associated with this technology.
Now, the question remains: will other automakers also adopt the Mild Hybrid to adapt to the Brazilian market? And, more importantly, will the public finally adopt this more sustainable option?
