Fiat and two Swedish technology companies, AutoAdapt AB and Alelion Batteries, are teaming up together to produce an electric car for the Swedish market that is based on a converted version of the Fiat 500.

Fiat and two Swedish technology companies, AutoAdapt AB and Alelion Batteries, are teaming up together to produce an electric car for the Swedish market that is based on a converted version of the Fiat 500. The first prototype has been shown this week in Nödinge, Sweden, and a further 100 cars are to be adapted this year before another 300 hit the roads in 2010.

Fiat will deliver the Car of the Year award winning 500 model to AutoAdapt without the engine and transmission as well as all the components related to the functioning of its usual petrol and diesel engines, such as the exhaust system, driveshafts, fuel tank and fuel lines.

AutoAdapt, which has a history converting cars for people with reduced mobility, will then refit them using Lithium-Ion batteries supplied by Alelion Batteries. The spread of batteries will be cover a range from 100-200 km and have reportedly been impressively tested up to 22,000 recharges without any loss of capability and are also able to function in the cold climatic conditions to be found in Sweden during the winter.

AutoAdapt was founded in 1990 (under the name Adaptation) and began to work in the field of converting vehicles for people with reduced mobility. In 1999 it increased its size with the acquisition of BEV Euroaid AB, and during the same year, together with Volvo Special Vehicles, it received the "Best Product for the Disabled" award. The award was presented at the Royal Palace in Stockholm by Queen Silvia. The next year it started exporting its own in house developed and manufactured products, while 2002 brought the establishment of a British subsidiary, AutoAdapt UK Ltd, which functions as a sales and distribution unit for its own and agency products throughout the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. Today, its company car adaptation products are exported to 42 countries and 240 dealers, bringing benefits to the elderly and disabled in large parts of the world. In 2002, Bruno Independent Living Aids Inc. (based in the USA) became one of the company's owners, which has given it an entirely new industrial platform. The AutoAdapt labour force now numbers more than eighty employees, thus making it one of the largest European companies in its specialised field.

Alelion Batteries AB was founded in 2006 and is a spin-off from ETC Batteries and Fuelcells, a R&D company for advanced energy solutions. Alelion Batteries AB defines, develops and delivers tailor-made batteries and power electronics to all kinds of products that benefits from the new battery technology and needs special designed solutions. Today Alelion focus on Lithium Ion cells that it views to be the best on the market with exceptional number of cycles and safe behaviour. These batteries together with power electronics and software is the base for the business. The company is based in Nödinge north of Gothenburg, the heart of battery manufacturing and research in Sweden. In 2007 private investors bought Alelion Batteries AB.

Following the successful realisation of the electric 500 project, AutoAdapt and Alelion Batteries then plan to team up with Fiat further to create electric versions of other smaller urban cars in the range, including the Panda and Grande Punto.