Like many businesses, the last 18 months have presented significant challenges for Roadster Salon. They have responded with a major move to a larger facility, and expanded their interest in EV development. In early 2020, Director of Sales/Marketing Ray Marchica, announced orders were being accepted for their new Spider America EV, with deliveries beginning in late 2021. Unfortunately, the pandemic has pushed the time-line to 2022. Gently used Fiat 500e models marketed by Roadster Salon start at about $13,000 for 2017 lease returns, and range up to $18,000 for the latest versions. Roadster also assists with shipping.
According to Marchica, “The combination of parts supply interruptions, staff limitations and changing battery technology made our original delivery projections unrealistic. Fiat 500e sales have become a great secondary business for us while we continue to develop our Spider based EV models. It keeps Roadster’s branding in front of our customers in the interim. We discovered the Fiat 500e during our research and development stage for the Spider America, and found it to be a hidden gem in the used EV market place”, Marchica said. “Since Fiat was limiting distribution to only California and Oregon dealers, the 500e was a well-kept secret in other parts of the country. We brought in about a half dozen from Los Angeles to test market them here in Chicago. We were shocked by the overwhelming consumer response.”
The 500e features up to 120 miles of range under prime conditions, with exceptional reliability. They are fast, roomy for their size, and incredibly fun to drive. “It’s the ideal city car, and perfect choice for running suburban errands. We’ve kept several on hand for staff use over the past three years with zero issues. Rising gas prices and concerns about germs at the pump make the 500e an ideal solution. Just plug it in to a regular wall outlet at home overnight, and have a ball driving the next day”.
In a related corollary, Roadster Salon has become one of the most active Fiat 500 EV resellers in North America. Currently, Roadster Salon has established a relationship with Fiat-Chrysler Leasing, and purchases their certified lease returns for resale Nationwide. This has helped Roadster build a strong following with the entry level EV crowd, who appreciates the outstanding value delivered by the Fiat 500e, versus other models from Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW.
SOURCE Roadster Salon
