Is The Fiat 500e Ready To Return To The North American Market?

Is The Fiat 500e Ready To Return To The North American Market?​

FIAT Teases The All-Electric 500e At CES 2022...​

The new Fiat 500e has made its first North American public appearance at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. It marks the first time that a Fiat 500 vehicle has been under the Italian marque in North America since the brand discontinued the nameplate after the 2020 model year. At the time, the 500 was the best-selling vehicle in the brand’s lineup for North America and has since left only the 500X crossover as its sole model.

Is The Fiat 500e Ready To Return To The North American Market?

The new Fiat 500e has made its first North American public appearance at this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. It marks the first time that a Fiat 500 vehicle has been under the Italian marque in North America since the brand discontinued the nameplate after the 2020...

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[TripleT]

I hope so, while the product is much maligned here, it lack of success falls clearly at the feet of the independent dealer model at the NA introduction and that nearly none of us here are 18 to 35 year old women. Availability at 2000 dealerships would have made a substantial difference.

Both my daughter have one, and it is because my first daughter like hers so much that my wife and second daughter choose another for her. They are right sized for urban parking, they are cute, surprisingly roomy, they handle well, they are just about the perfect car for someone at the college or early career time of their life.

Both would consider replacing the ones they own now with the new model.

 

[bill burke]

Let’s start on a positive note, Fiat commercials were funny, and clever. 500s diving off cliffs and swimming to America. Viagra induced 500s growing into the X model. That beach scene with the stolen bikini, just classic humor. BUT !
Management blew everything else. Launching with just one vehicle that was at best an urban European focused vehicle in a land of wide open spaces where big is better. Did anyone do their homework at Fiat? One model, that was it? No sedan, no SUV, no hatchback compact. Fiat blew this so completely and it need not have happened. I believe there might be a market for this electric 500, but the brand needs a total re-launch with a complete portfolio of vehicles. That re-launch can not be made as stable mates of Alfa Romeo, a brand that should be sold by itself or iwith Maserati. Tell the truth, Fiat might be better off as a global brand not sold in America, that’s how bad they destroyed any credibility in North America. Someone or some someone’s blew this big time. A shame, really. Miss those commercials though.

 

[patfromigh]

I almost bought an off-lease Fiat 500e in 2020. Many of the ex-California compliance cars had very low miles and attractive prices. What started the process was I began spotting these vehicles around town here in Frostbite Falls, MN. The first one I saw was a 500e at a grocery store charging station in the parking lot. I then began to investigate who was selling them around the region. There was one specialized used car broker on the other side of the metropolitan area who deals in EVs. I also learned that a number of CDJR dealers outside California, who weren't allowed to sell the compliance Fiat 500e when new, went through the service and training upgrades to sell them used. I decided against purchase because of the 2 to 3 weeks of frigid cold we get in the winter. (As I write this it is -16F degrees.) Another factor is my health network started rationing care to seniors. I now have to travel 35 miles to an out of town network. The old Fiat 500e was advanced ten years ago, but only had 70 miles of range.

The irony is Fiat in the US retains credibility because of this compliance car program. The sales numbers of the California Fiat 500e were very low, down there in second generation Hemi territory. (The second Gen Hemi was also a compliance program, but for very different reasons.) FCA went a few extra miles for its compliance car program. They didn't just simply mail it in and call it a day. The Fiat 500e was cleverly marketed and enjoys good service support. It is looked upon favorably by those who have or had one. The new Fiat 500e can step in and fill the void left by the original's departure and has the performance and range to be a success in various North American urban environments.

If the new Fiat 500e is offered here I would seriously consider one. I now have a space in a heated underground garage with an outlet nearby. The range would get me to the doctor and back comfortably. I have checked out the trims and options on the Fiat UK website. Fiat seems to target buyers like me. I don't know if Fiat USA would follow through with the same option and trim list.

 

[Damato76]

Please Fiat!!! I have a 2015 with over a 110k miles on it and all I’ve had to service were two car batteries and three cabin filters. Not to mention the gas savings. Yes please!

 

[bill burke]

Within the Stellantis portfolio there are many healthy brands, with clear focus and the support necessary to prosper. I actually include Fiat in this group, but I am hinting at Chrysler and Lancia as the lost sheep in the herd. Fiat, as a healthy global brand, can give North America another look see, but only with a totally new game plan. It is encouraging that there remain folks who want the new 500e, as I do actually. But a full range of new product must accompany that efforts as well as the decoupling of the brand from Alfa Romeo which has had the effect of devaluing Alfa Romeo and glaringly pointing out the conflicting product purposes and demographic differences between the brands. If I were selling Alfa Romeo, I would love doing it in a shared Maserati showroom., good old snob appeal.I’d liken the current arrangement to selling a Porsche in a VW showroom, ouch!
Essentially Fiat can succeed with this new plan, it is Chrysler and Lancia, without the solid global foundation that needs all the help, yes money, to save the brand. All it takes is a well thought out plan, realistic initial goals and that secret ingredient, money, money money.I’d also use the advertising firm that Fiat used for marketing, so clever a group can only help.

 

[patfromigh]

I participated in the Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) and when Fiat management took over they asked us how the Fiat brand should be handled. There was some consensus among us potential buyers that Fiat should be sold like the Mitsubishi products were back in the previous decades. This was done by selling them in all showrooms and recognizing such products as imported. The new management chose to turn Fiat into a boutique brand sold through special outlets. Management also canceled the CAB. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fiat products can be successful here. The Ducato was carefully engineered and adapted into the Ram ProMaster and its only limiting factor has been production capacity. Now that Stellantis is running the show we have potential French and German imports in the mix. I think the imported for CDJ should be the strategy along with selling in all the showrooms. I can see where having high end products being sold separately would likely be a good idea.

 

[patfromigh]

In my opinion, another marketing mistake made by Fiat USA was only offering 500 themed products in North America. Fiat elsewhere offers another vehicle theme, the Panda. The Panda represents a more utilitarian type of vehicle, like the song says, "It's hip to be square." The Fiat 500L was supposed to have Panda DNA, but there was a last minute change to make it a 500. We know the results. My purpose in bringing this up is not to rag on Fiat management, buy to call attention to another way forward.

I don't know how far the development of the Centoventi concept has progressed. The concept definitely follows the Panda side of the Fiat family. It would be tragic not to offer the Centoventi here if that concept makes it to production status. Now the final product might not have the Centoventi name or Lego like features of the concept, but I hope the themes of simplicity and practicality come through.

The Centoventi concept seems to be either a large B-segemt or C-segment size. It would be a good fit in CDJR showrooms, a basic utilitarian vehicle which can free the Chrysler and Dodge brands from chasing mass market sales by cheapening their products.

The push towards electrification is quickly stratifying. There are high end vehicles like the Lucid Air and Tesla with multiple motors refueled by high voltage fast charging which is typically available in affluent areas. GM is also catering to this high strata level with the Cadillac, Hummer, and Silverado BEVs with massive battery packs and six figure price tags. I imagine a three motor Challenger EV will also be geared towards this demographic. We'll see.

At a lower level we have vehicles such as the Mini SE (BEV), Chevy Bolt and Fiat 500e with much lower entry costs. While such vehicles are capable of fast charging, they have smaller battery packs allowing reasonable charge times from level two charging stations. Also such vehicles may be charged overnight from standard outlets. The low end EVs feature single motors and are less mechanically complex than the high end machines.

I think a Centoventi / Panda battery electric would be a highly successful product in North America. To put it in Marxist terms, it would be a good proletarian product.

 

[Deckard Cain]

I participated in the Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) and when Fiat management took over they asked us how the Fiat brand should be handled. There was some consensus among us potential buyers that Fiat should be sold like the Mitsubishi products were back in the previous decades. This was done by selling them in all showrooms and recognizing such products as imported. The new management chose to turn Fiat into a boutique brand sold through special outlets. Management also canceled the CAB. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fiat products can be successful here. The Ducato was carefully engineered and adapted into the Ram ProMaster and its only limiting factor has been production capacity. Now that Stellantis is running the show we have potential French and German imports in the mix. I think the imported for CDJ should be the strategy along with selling in all the showrooms. I can see where having high end products being sold separately would likely be a good idea.

Holy ****. This is completely surreal then! What do they wanted a CAB for if they had already made a decision? For an echo chamber? Ridiculous.
History proved you right, and they botched Fiat yet again. It's amazing how Stellantis have so many brands that have been totally mismanaged.

The 500e is doing great here in Europe, and I believe it could work in certain markets in the US though.