Giant automaker Stellantis has taken a bold step to protect American consumers faced with new tariffs by expanding its employee discount program to the general public.
Stellantis and Ford have extended their coveted employee discount programs to all Americans, a strategic move designed to maintain sales momentum while protecting consumers from potential price increases.
Stellantis launched its “America’s Freedom of Choice” program, allowing everyday Americans to purchase vehicles at the same special prices typically reserved for company employees.
The promotion covers popular 2024 models, including Jeep, Ram, and Dodge vehicles, through April 30.
It gives patriotic consumers a limited-time opportunity to save thousands before tariff-driven price hikes take effect.
The move is a direct response to President Trump’s new tariffs on foreign vehicle and auto parts imports, which began on April 3.
While the tariffs aim to protect American manufacturing jobs and reduce dependence on foreign production, they also create short-term challenges for automakers with global supply chains.
Stellantis and Ford are leading the charge in absorbing these costs rather than immediately passing them on to American consumers.
Ford’s similar program, called “From America, For America,” extends employee pricing on most 2024 and 2025 models through June 2.
The company is also offering a complimentary home charger and installation for electric vehicle buyers through June 30, showing a commitment to American energy independence despite the changing automotive landscape.
Moreover, auto industry analysts noted that these generous discount programs serve multiple purposes beyond helping consumers cope with tariff impacts.
They also give automakers a chance to capture loyal customers from competing brands during this period of market disruption.
The temporary surge in vehicle purchases is driven by consumers who understand that these discount programs will not last forever.
As of early April, automakers had an average of 48 days’ supply on dealer lots, but industry experts warned these inventories would not last long as savvy buyers take advantage of the current deals before inevitable price increases.
Without these aggressive discount programs, the impact on American consumers could be devastating.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) highlighted the potential consequences when he alerted about the tariffs’ effects:
“The impact of these tariffs will be the prices, the average prices of all their cars will go up $4,500. It’s not just foreign cars that will go up.”
Stellantis has struggled with declining sales, reporting a 12% drop in U.S. sales during the first quarter.
Due to the new tariffs, the company has already been forced to pause production at plants in Canada and Mexico.
By offering these employee discounts to all Americans, the company is demonstrating its commitment to the U.S. market despite these challenges.
A Stellantis spokesperson explained their strategy:
“This week we launched aggressive and consistent incentive and marketing support for April, including an exciting and competitive enhancement that will allow our customers ‘America’s Freedom of Choice’ between employee price or current cash incentives.”
These limited-time discount programs represent a rare opportunity for patriotic consumers who want to support American manufacturing while getting the best possible deal on a new vehicle.
With automakers warning of potential price increases averaging $4,500 per vehicle if the tariffs continue long-term, smart shoppers are acting now to secure American-made vehicles at employee prices before this window of opportunity closes at the end of April.
