New Fiat Appointment And Return Of 500e Could Boost Brand In US

Fiat has appointed Aamir Ahmed as its new North American CEO. Ahmed previously worked for Fiat Chrysler before leaving for Harman International in 2017. He then joined Amazon in 2022, where he was Head of Partner Marketing. Ahmed takes over at a crucial time for Fiat North America, with sales flatlining and the brand on the edge of obscurity.

Fiat's new North American CEO - Aamir Ahmed

While Fiat sales remain strong globally, the automaker has virtually no presence in the US in 2023. Fiat currently only sells one model in America, the 500X. A dated crossover, the 500X's $27,965 starting price has done little to help demand with just 138 units sold in the US last quarter. 

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That said, Fiat isn't giving up on the American market just yet. Instead of continuing to fight for sales in the incredibly competitive crossover segment, the firm will instead look to capitalize on the growing demand for small-budget EVs. Ahmed will oversee the reintroduction of the 500e in the US. The famed city car is expected to make it to US shores later this year.

Last sold in the US in 2019, the 500e has been a strong seller in Europe since the launch of an all-new model back in 2021. Luckily for Fiat, the 500e has only one credible competitor in the US - the slightly larger Mini Cooper SE. Powered by a 42-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the 500e has a 199-mile WLTP range. That should correlate to around 150 miles on the EPA cycle. 

It will be interesting to see if Fiat can gain traction in the US by moving away from crossovers and into smaller vehicles. There is certainly less competition in the space, and Fiat does have an excellent reputation when it comes to compact cars.

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