Stellantis

Fiat CEO teases subscriptions, car-sharing for all-electric 500e launch in US • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in electric vehicles, fiat, LA Auto Show, Stellantis, TransportationNo Comments

Stellantis plans to “explore alternative business models,” such as subscriptions and car sharing, when it launches its all-electric Fiat 500e in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2024, Fiat CEO Olivier Francois told ZebethMedia at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. The exec did not rule out limiting the 500e’s U.S. launch entirely to subscriptions come early 2024, saying: “Maybe you will never have a price. Maybe it will just be usership. Maybe there will be there will be a combination of both.” The executive added cryptically, “There will be a healthy dose of digital, that’s for sure. We all collectively need to reinvent the business model.” The all-electric Fiat 500e launched in Europe in 2020 and is considered a massive success for Stellantis. Whether it will be embraced by U.S. buyers is unclear. The original 500e, which was essentially a retro’d version of an internal combustion version of the same model, didn’t fare so well and was largely regarded as a compliance car in the U.S. This time, Francois suggested it would be different. When the Fiat 500e comes to North America in early 2024 it will have an estimate range of more than 150 miles, the ability to charge the battery up to 30 miles in five minutes and will come with an advanced driver assistance system that provides “Level 2+” features such as lane centering and adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind spot detection and 360-degree parking sensors. If there was a theme to Francois’ comments around the North American rollout of the Fiat 500e, it was experimental. It seemed the brand is ready to try a variety of sales and launch tactics for the region. Fiat released a few details of the North American specs for the 500e vehicle, including that the battery will have more than 150-mile range. Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO and global CMO Stellantis, said the all-electric Fiat 500e will be able to charge the 85kW battery up to 30 miles in five minutes. The vehicle will come with an advanced driver assistance system that provides “Level 2+” features such as lane centering and adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind spot detection and 360-degree parking sensors. The Fiat 500e will also come with the UConnect 5 connected car system and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Image Credits: Kirsten Korosec Stellantis isn’t the first automaker to suggest that subscriptions could remake the car business. At the tail end of 2018, Volvo went as far as to say “don’t buy our cars” during an event for its Care By Volvo subscription. Though Volvo intended to make “having a car as easy as having a cell phone,” the program turned out to be anything but for some subscribers, who said encountered delays and mixups with dealerships. Today, Volvo’s subscription site greets visitors with a note that “inventory is currently unavailable online.” For its part, Francois claimed Fiat’s strategy had little to do with cranking U.S. sales, saying he was “capacity constrained” and instead focused on figuring out the “future of mobility with a car that’s designed for the city.”

Stellantis is bringing its new all-electric Fiat 500e to North America in early 2024 • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in EV, fiat, Stellantis, TransportationNo Comments

Stellantis brand Fiat is coming back to the United States with its new all-electric 500e, a small urban vehicle that has been selling like hot cakes in Europe. The all-electric Fiat 500e is not like the original 500e, which was essentially a retro’d version of an internal combustion version of the same model. This time, the Fiat 500e is built on its own platform designed for EVs. Fiat 500e Image credit: Stellantis The Fiat 500e made its debut at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show to signal its entry into the North American market. But consumers will need to be patient. The new 500e will arrive in North America in Q1 of 2024, according to the company. While the announcement was made at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, consumers are going to have to wait a year to actually see a production version of the 500e designed for North America. The company said the official reveal of the North American 500e is scheduled for the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show. Fiat did not release any North American specs for the 500e vehicle. Bringing the Fiat 500e to North America is a bet that some consumers in this SUV-loving region have an appetite for a smaller EV. The Stellantis brand is positioning itself as a cool, and yes, small vehicle that is functional without sacrificing fashion. It’s perhaps a niche demographic; it’s also one wide open for the taking, at least in North America. As part of the reveal, the Fiat brand collaborated with design houses Armani, Kartell and Bvlgari to create one-off versions of the 500e vehicles. While these have been couched as design exercises to showcase Italian craftsmanship, creativity and sophistication, it’s possible (though not likely) that one or all of these could become an option for consumers if demand meets or surpasses expectations. Lest you forget, the brand launched the Fiat 500 by Gucci in 2011.