UK launch possible for three-wheeled Fiat Tris micro-van based on Citroen's Ami, with 540kg payload
Fiat is exploring a UK launch for its new Tris three-wheeled electric micro-truck, with the model expected to arrive in 2027 as a last-mile delivery solution.
Built and sold in Morocco, the Tris was first revealed last year, but was shown this week at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham as Fiat weighs up the demand for an ultra-compact urban delivery vehicles here in the UK.
Based on the Citroen Ami, the Tris is technically a quadricycle but sits halfway between a small electric van and a cargo bike. It's closest rival is the Piaggio Ape which follows the same single front wheel and handlebar steering, but with a 9kW motor, and capable only of 28mph, it's perhaps more closely related to the current wave of e-cargo bikes vying for attention in cities around the world.
The Tris has been designed specifically for dense urban environments, where manoeuvrability and ease of access matter more than outright range or payload. However, the Tris still manages an impress 540kg maximum payload, and its box body load area prodives up to 2.25 cubic metres of load space.
In its current form, the Tris gets a single seat and open sides for quick entry and exit. However, a possible UK version, available as soon as next year, will be adapted to meet local safety requirements and will likely get proper doors, rather than open-air safety gates found on the Citroen Ami Buggy.
As well as a box body, the Tris will be available in three configurations with a chassis cab, flatbed and the more traditional van box.
Power comes from a 6.9kWh battery, which is larger than the Ami with which is shares much of its underpinnings, to deliver a range of up to 56 miles, even with payload on board.
The Tris measures just 3.17 metres in length, comfortably the shortest light commerical vehicle on offer, although the recently announced EVC CitySprint runs it close at 3.7m. It also gets a 6.1-m turning circle.
Read New £15k British-made CitySprint electric van launched
Read our EVC CitySprint dimensions guide to see how big it really is
Whether the UK market is ready for a three-wheeled commercial vehicle remains to be seen, but Fiat’s presence at the show under a combined Stellantis stand suggests there is at least a passing interest and possibly enough to bring the electric three-wheeler to market next year.
Pricing is not confirmed, but the Fiat Tris is expected to have a price of around £8,000 to £9,000 if it arrives in the UK next year.
