Italy is fighting like no other European country against the ban on combustion engines in 2035. But southern Europeans are slowly becoming electric – as the small electric pick-up Giannini Uso shows.
The Italians love small cars and best of all those that still look fat. Giannini Automobili has made a name for itself with the refinement of the Fiat 500 and Fiat Panda. Now the Italian tuner wants to become a car manufacturer, because with the Giannini Uso he is launching a small electric pick-up that, with a length of just 3.17 meters, is hardly longer than many microcars that are tax-privileged in Italian cities on the way. These little speedsters – often with single-cylinder engines – are not only interesting from a tax point of view, but also because the reduced safety equipment applies to them. So now future-oriented with electric drive.
The Giannini Uso is a pick-up that should also find its fans in the turbulent inner-city traffic of Rome or Naples. This is ensured not only by the length of little more than three meters, but also the manageable width of 1.62 meters. In addition, the impact protection strips not only ensure a rustic appearance, but also protect the body from painful parking maneuvers in the tightest of spaces. There is space for two people inside, while luggage, shopping or larger items can easily be accommodated on the open loading area (1.10 x 0.75 m). The payload is an impressive 250 kilograms. Given the manageable continuous output of 15 kW / 20 PS / 120 Nm, it may come as a surprise whether the Uso EV is really suitable for off-road use, even if it can be equipped with studded tires if desired and briefly delivers up to 30 kW / 41 PS to the rear axle.
With its 21 kWh battery, it has an inner-city range of up to 235 kilometers. With the attractive studded tires, however, things look completely different, because with the rumbling 165 mm mud tires the range of use is reduced to 140 kilometers. Despite the LED spotlights on the roof and large off-road vehicle exterior mirrors, the electric climber is still 90 km/h fast. The battery pack in the underbody can be recharged in around three hours with 6.6 kW. However, the price of the small city off-roader is more than impressive at 28,500 euros plus VAT.
Source: Stern
I’m a recent graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. I started working as a news reporter for 24 Hours World about two years ago, and I’ve been writing articles ever since. My main focus is automotive news, but I’ve also written about politics, lifestyle, and entertainment.
