Fiat Pulse and Fastback Abarth to become hybrids next year

Stellantis has advanced in the road tests of the 2027 line of its sports SUVs in Brazil. Camouflaged prototypes of the Fiat Pulse and the Fastback Abarth in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte by the Autos Segredos website, signaling the duo’s main technological update: the adoption of the 48-volt mild hybrid system (MHEV). The strategy is part of the group’s electrification schedule, which should introduce the novelty first in the Jeep Renegade.

Unlike the 12 V systems already used in some versions of Pulse, Fastback and Peugeot 2008, the 48 volt architecture offers a more robust electrical assistance. The set combines the well-known 1.3 turboflex engine with an additional electric motor capable of delivering 28 hp and 5,6 kgfm of torque. This extra force acts both to relieve the thermal engine in load situations, reducing emissions and consumption, and to ensure more vigorous retakes, consistent with the proposal of the Abarth division.

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A relevant technical change in the Brazilian configuration compared to European models is the choice of transmission: while, abroad, Stellantis’ 48 V hybrid system is usually paired with a dual-clutch gearbox (E-DCT), the models spotted in Brazil will maintain the conventional six-speed automatic transmission with torque converter. The electronic center will be responsible for managing the transition between thermal and hybrid modes, with the energy stored in a 0.9 kWh battery installed under the driver’s seat.

Currently, the T270 engine delivers up to 185 hp and 27,5 kgfm. With electrification, the variants should adopt the commercial nomenclature “T270 Hybrid”, according to Autos Segredos. After the debut in the Abarth line and the Jeep Renegade, the system should be extended to the Jeep Compass, Commander and Fiat Toro pickup models throughout 2027.