Fiat Ecos

The Fiat Ecos made its debut at the 1978 Turin Motor Show as a forward-looking study in environmentally conscious mobility.

Created by Pininfarina together with the Fiat Research Centre, it explored the idea of an electric city car long before ecological concerns reached mainstream attention.

Though presented only as a wooden model, the Ecos was conceived as a complete vision of sustainable urban transport.

Its compact proportions were built around a 2200-mm wheelbase, ideal for tight city streets. Power would have come from a 26-kW electric motor driving the front wheels, fed by twelve 6-V batteries of 30 kg each, arranged throughout the car to balance weight and maximise usable range. This configuration reflected a careful attempt to harmonise efficiency, practicality and environmental responsibility.

Styled with Pininfarina’s clean, aerodynamic lines, the Ecos signalled a shift from traditional small-car design towards something lighter, sleeker and more purposeful.

Although it never progressed beyond the concept stage, its blend of thoughtful engineering and ecological ambition foreshadowed the direction the industry would eventually take. Today, the Fiat Ecos stands as an early reminder of how visionary research and design can anticipate—and help shape—a more sustainable automotive future.