Testing begins for electric cars made by FCA in Serbia - report

The first tests have been carried out at the company's factory in Kragujevac, which has a testing track. However, the main safety tests, such as crash tests, are conducted abroad, president of the Independent Union of FCA Serbia, Sasa Djordjevic, told state broadcaster RTS on Tuesday.

Djordjevic said that the new model might be tested on the streets of Kragujevac at a later stage, considering FCA Serbia's previous routine.

The name of the new model was not revealed in the report.

In April 2022, Stellantis, the maker of Fiat cars, and Serbia signed a deal to jointly invest 190 million euro ($205 million) to launch the production of electric vehicles in Kragujevac. Back then, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said production was expected to begin in early 2024.

According to previous reports, FCA Serbia might produce either a hybrid-powered version of its Fiat 500L model or an electric version of its Panda SUV model in the Kragujevac plant.

Stellantis was formed in 2021 following the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and France's PSA Group.

FCA owns 67% of the share capital of FCA Serbia. The Serbian government holds the remainder.