A Stellantis plug? Thailand's Prime Minister went to work in a Fiat Abarth 500e EV

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin surprised his colleagues yesterday when he turned up for work in a lime green Fiat Abarth 500e, driving the electric hatchback himself.

The public relations stunt was timed with his chairing first meeting of a government committee on EV policies at Government House – the official name for Thailand’s offices of the Prime Minister and cabinet minister.

"One of my joys is to drive sometimes. When I was a businessman, I drove. This car belongs to my daughter. I like it very much. The colour is beautiful and cute, and it is an EV," said the PM on his official Facebook page.

Prime Minister’s Srettha usually travels in a Lexus LM.

The Fiat Abarth 500e is powered by a 42 kWh battery, driving a 155 PS / 235 Nm. It has a range of up to 264 km.

Fiat does not have an official presence in Thailand, so the vehicle is a parallel import.

Stellantis’ business in Thailand is centred around Peugeot.