Stellantis Desperately Offers Employee Discounts to Public in Brutal Tariff Apocalypse…

If you’ve ever wanted to buy a Jeep but felt too broke to purchase a mid-tier shoe box on wheels, well—congrats. Stellantis just hit the panic button and invited you to the employee discount party. No employee badge, or HR login required—just bring your checkbook and your middle finger reserved for tariffs. 

(Source: Giphy) 

In short, Stellantis just opened up its employee pricing to the general public. And by “employee pricing,” I mean the kind of discounts that usually require a W-2 and a manager who looks the other way when you leave early. The reason is to gain motivation from consumers to keep metal moving after the Trump administration’s latest economic grenade: a 25% tariff on auto imports and a 34% tariff on Chinese goods. 

Naturally, Stellantis is already hitting the brakes—literally—announcing 900 layoffs and factory pauses across five plants, including shutdowns in Mexico and Canada. So yeah, business is booming LOL. However, if this all feels familiar, that’s because Ford just beat them to it. 

(Source: StockTwits) 

For more context, the Blue Oval launched its “From America, For America” campaign a day earlier, offering similar discounts on 2024 and 2025 models through June 2. In fact, Ford’s even throwing in a free home charger for EV buyers. Bigly. Stellantis, meanwhile, is calling its promo “America’s Freedom of Choice,” which sounds more like a pro-choice ad than a car sale, but to each their own. 

Now, with that said, what’s the difference here? Well, Ford’s issuing this with some wagger. Their stock actually ticked up on the news (around 1%, which is nothing to get too horned up about). Stellantis, on the other hand, plummeted 5% on the day. Down 24% YTD. Down 63% over the past 12 months. Ooof. Simply put, Stellantis is trying to offset the gut punch from tariffs while dealing with inventory, labor costs, and a consumer base that’s tightening wallets at breakneck speed. Meaning, when you start offering employee pricing to everyone, that’s not necessarily a win—it’s a warning alarm. 

(Source: Fox Business) 

What’s more is that this is just another clear indication that the broader auto market is trying to navigate a political minefield with no clear map. EV demand is soft. Interest rates are still high. Supply chains are on meth. And now you’ve got price wars brewing with China. So what are we really looking at here? 

Well, Ford is playing offense and Stellantis is playing defense. That’s the difference. Ford gives the vibes that they’re stable and still in control, while Stellantis feels like it’s a Hail Mary just to survive and keep dealers from revolting. And, not shocking at all, the market knows it. 

(Source: Giphy) 

In the end, for consumers looking to buy a new Jeep or Ram, they are the ones who are winning as they can now clinch a few grand off. But in a market where consumers aren’t buying anything—it doesn’t really mean much. Additionally, if you’re an investor, this is less about discounts and more about damage control. Stellantis is bleeding, and they’re hoping retail buyers can plug the hole. Spoiler: they can’t.

For now, keep your eyes on the market sentiment for both of these auto stocks, and for God's sake place your bets accordingly. As always, stay safe and stay frosty! Until next time… 

P.S. This week has been absolutely horrific. Portfolios are down and emotions are high. But do you know who's been slaying the week while everyone else is panic-selling? Stocks.News premium members. Click here to join the club, and get the deepest insights and most explosive moves BEFORE everyone else. 

Stocks.News holds positions in Ford as mentioned in the article.