Fiat this time wants North American customers to buy its 500e electric hatchback.
The Italian small car brand of Stellantis NV is bringing a new generation of the 500e to the continent starting in the first quarter of 2024, it said Thursday at the Los Angeles Auto Show, betting on the next chapter for Fiat here as consumers become more willing to consider EVs.
The announcement indicates a continued commitment by Fiat in the United States since its reintroduction in 2011, with Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares giving each of the company's 14 brands 10 years to show growth and prove their value. But U.S. sales have dried up, falling 62% year-over-year in the first nine months of 2022 with just 797 Fiats sold. The competitive U.S. market, Americans' love for larger trucks and SUVs, and being starved of fresh product has made it difficult for the Italian brand to make inroads. Today's lineup is a single vehicle: the 500X subcompact SUV.
