Stellantis has once again paused production of the all-electric Fiat 500e at its Mirafiori plant in Italy due to sluggish demand. This marks the second production halt for the 500e in recent months, highlighting the challenges faced by the electric city car.
Originally scheduled to shut down from December 18 to January 5 for the holiday season, the plant will now be idle from December 2 to January 5. This extended shutdown will impact not only the 500e but also the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio, which are also produced at the Mirafiori plant.
The 500e has struggled to gain traction in the market, particularly in the United States. Despite the introduction of several special edition models, including the 500e Giorgio Armani, 500e Inspired By Los Angeles, 500e Inspired By Beauty, and 500e Inspired By Music, sales have remained disappointing.
In response to the weak demand, Stellantis is taking a two-pronged approach. First, the company plans to invest €100 million to develop a new, high-performance battery for the 500e, aiming to improve its range and performance. Second, Fiat is working on a hybrid version of the 500, which is expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026.
While Stellantis remains committed to the 500e, the recent production halts and adjustments to the product strategy underscore the challenges of the electric vehicle market and the need for continued innovation and adaptation.
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