Americans don’t seem particularly fond of new Fiat models, and the numbers make that pretty clear. The Italian brand sold just 155 vehicles in the US during the first quarter of 2025, down 70 percent from a year earlier, or roughly 1.75 cars per day. Across the border in Canada, however, the story takes a different turn.

While Fiat struggles with near nonexistent demand in the US, where 500e sales have plunged 85 percent to just 68 units and 500X deliveries slipped 4 percent to 71, the story looks very different north of the border. In Canada, sales of the tiny EV have surged.

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During the January–March period, Canadians buyers snapped up 1,287 examples of the electric 500e, the only model Fiat currently sells there. That’s 19 times more than it managed in the US, and a 72 percent jump from the 749 units sold in Q1 2025. It also works out to more than eight times Fiat’s total US sales over the same stretch.

No doubt contributing to the higher popularity of the 500e in Canada than in America is that it’s much cheaper. In the States, prices for the 500e start at $30,500, which is only about $5,000 less than a new Chevrolet Equinox EV that’s much larger, much more practical, and has more than double the driving range.

In Canada, the Fiat 500e starts at CA$30,290 (US$21,700 at current exchange rates), or effectively CA$25,290 (US$18,100), once a CA$5,000 (US$3,600) incentive from the country’s Electric Vehicle Affordability Program is applied. That makes it the cheapest EV on sale in Canada.

Some Stellantis Models Shine, Others Don’t

Fiat wasn’t the only brand from under the Stellantis umbrella to post gains in Q1 2026. Sales at Jeep rose 3 percent from 8,363 to 8,631, while Ram spiked 7 percent, hitting 12,463 units. Chrysler recorded the largest increase, with sales jumping 98 percent to 5,073, driven by a 256 percent surge in Pacifica demand.

Things weren’t so pretty for Dodge as its sales fell 4 percent to 2,743 units. Additionally, Alfa Romeo plummeted by 51 percent to just 81 units, with a measly 15 Giulias, 46 Stelvios, and 20 Tonales finding new homes.

Stellantis Canada Sales

Fiat is lining up three debuts for the Paris Motor Show this October, two production cars and one concept. In the process, the brand returns to the compact segment, all but confirming that the long-teased “Giga Panda” SUV and Fastback will be the main attractions.

Building on the momentum of the Grande Panda, these new additions are set to be larger, more practical, and better suited to family duties. Their designs will closely follow the 2024 concepts, with the SUV adopting a more upright rear end, while the Fastback getting a sloping roofline similar to the Citroen Basalt.

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Expect the two models to share a front-end design, featuring pixel-style LED lighting and a covered grille. Our speculative rendering, which is based on earlier prototype sightings, depicts the Fastback with modern styling cues borrowed from the smaller Grande Panda.

Underneath, both sit on Stellantis’ Smart Car platform, already in use on models like the Citroen C3 Aircross and the Opel Frontera. While it’s a cost-conscious architecture, it’s also a flexible one, supporting everything from combustion to mild-hybrid and fully electric powertrains.

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Fiat has shared almost no details about the new concept, beyond vaguely calling it “exclusive.” Whether it previews another future addition to the expanding Panda family remains unclear.

What Else Will Stellantis Debut?

While Fiat focuses on the more affordable end of the spectrum, the wider Stellantis lineup is also bringing a few noteworthy debuts to this year’s Mondial de l’Auto in Paris.

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Lancia is set to take a leading role with the public debut of the all-new Gamma. It arrives as a sleek fastback-style crossover and will be built at the Melfi plant in Italy, alongside the DS No8. Underneath, it uses the STLA Medium platform, with a full spread of options including electric, mild-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

Citroen is also bringing a new concept to Paris, promising something “packed with personality.” Whether that means a pure design study in the vein of the late-2025 ELO concept or an early look at a future production model is still up in the air.

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Leapmotor, the Chinese brand backed by Stellantis, will also make an appearance with the B03 subcompact hatchback, positioned as the lower, better-looking counterpart to the B03X SUV. A different shape, same idea.

As for DS Automobiles, the more premium French brand is set to roll out the No7 SUV following its recent online reveal. The Stellantis roster, which includes Peugeot, Opel, and Alfa Romeo, will be on hand, though their displays will stick to models we have already seen.

Stellantis is deepening its ties with China’s fast-moving EV sector as it searches for a more efficient path through the electric transition. In 2023, the group inked a deal with Chinese EV startup Leapmotor, purchasing a 20 percent stake in the firm for $1.1 billion. The agreement made Stellantis the exclusive distributor of Leapmotor models in Western markets.

Now, it appears the relationship could extend beyond distribution, with Stellantis potentially tapping into its partner’s EV technology for brands such as Fiat, Opel, and Peugeot.

According to Autonews, unnamed sources say Stellantis wants access to Leapmotor’s battery and EV powertrain technologies. It’s understood that discussions are in their early stages, but using Leapmotor’s systems would help Stellantis save billions of dollars in development costs, and allow it to more quickly roll out rivals to vehicles from Chinese competitors like BYD and MG, in addition to legacy brands including the VW Group and Renault.

Read: Stellantis’ Chinese Partner Built A Minivan That Makes The Pacifica Feel Ancient

However, actually using Leapmotor’s battery and EV technologies could prove challenging. For example, vehicles using connected systems linked to China will be banned from importation and sale in the US from 2027.

What’s Next for the Partnership?

While speaking about the collaboration between the two companies, Stellantis chief executive Antonio Filosa said the “technical partnership… will help us in getting to higher level of competitiveness especially with electric cars and it is very important for Europe.”

He added the partnership will also “improve our collaboration also on new tech development,” noting that “2025 was a year of strategic implementation for the partnership, setting the stage for deeper integration”, according to Autonews.

EV Write-Downs And Reset

Earlier this month, Stellantis announced write-downs and charges of €22.2 billion ($26.1 billion) as it scaled down its EV strategy. However, it knows it can’t back away from EVs entirely, hence why it’s interested in deepening its ties with Leapmotor.

Through the Leapmotor International joint venture, Stellantis has helped the Chinese brand launch several of its models, like the C10 and B10, in markets including Europe and Australia. For a brief period, it was also building the small T03 in Poland, but this ended last year amid fluctuations in international trade policies. This year, Stellantis plans to start building Leapmotor vehicles at its Zaragoza plant in Spain.