Fiat vehicles were very popular among European drivers in the 20th century. This was due to their relatively low price and common availability. Its position on the EU market weakened in the 21st century due to the development of commercial vehicles among competing van manufacturers. It should be noted that it’s still one of the most frequently purchased van in Eastern Europe. It’s associated mainly with the courier industry, although it is widely used by the police, ambulances and other areas of life requiring high vehicle loading capacity.
Fiat Ducato debuted in the early 80s of the twentieth century as the successor of the Fiat 238. The new model was more angular and fitted the style of commercial vehicles from this period of time. The production of the van was carried out by the Italian company Sevel, which also cooperated with Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Peugeot and Talbot. Production of the model took place in Val di Sangro, where in 1981 the Sevel Sud factory was founded. The focus was on universal and affordable solutions - front wheel drive, low-set floor, MacPherson struts at the front and a rigid axle at the back. The first generation Ducato was available in two different equipment versions: S and SX. In 1990, it was first facelift of Ducato in history. The main change affected the front of the vehicle - the appearance of the front lights changed and they were placed in the front bumper grille.
The maximum speed of the first generation Ducato vans oscillated around 137-140 km/h. In August 1992, the electric version of Fiat Ducato was also created, powered by a L29-Somer DC electric motor T29C. The innovative version was called Ducato Elettra and was powered by 28 batteries with an adjustable lead-acid valve. These batteries were placed in a wooden crate. The total weight of the batteries was 868 kilograms, which exceeded the payload of the vehicle by 118 kilograms!
