Stellantis is resetting its U.S. fleet direction and has tapped Michael Ferreira, senior vice president of U.S. fleet sales, to lead the effort. There are early signs of a sales rebound — in the third quarter of 2025, the company posted a 22% year-over-year increase in fleet sales.

Ferreira left AutoNation to join Stellantis in April. He has also served in executive roles at Octo Telematics, Hertz/Donlen, Porsche AG, GE Capital, Avis Budget Group, and Volkswagen.

“My career in the fleet business spans more than three decades and five continents,” including 10 years on the OEM side, 10 in car rental operations, and another 10 in commercial fleet management, he said in a fleet media roundtable on Nov. 13.

Restructuring and Early Actions

Shortly after joining, Ferreira reorganized the U.S. fleet team around a mix of regional and functional roles. He introduced dedicated business development managers (“hunters”) focused on new accounts, account managers (“farmers”) focused on existing customers, and dealer development managers to support the retail network, all aligned under regional pods in the East, Central, and West. The aim is to combine previously separate brand-specific operations and provide customers with access to vehicles and services across the Stellantis portfolio.

“We had all the components needed to be successful, but they were loose-standing entities. As soon as we brought them together, things started to change,” he said.

Stellantis released MY-2026 pricing and order guides ahead of competitors, a step Ferreira described as important for fleet management companies (FMCs) that plan orders months in advance.

The company also began aligning its North American fleet approach with the global Pro One commercial vehicle program, which holds over 30% market share in Europe and strong positions in South America, the Middle East, and Africa. U.S. fleet market share stood at 12% earlier in 2025.

Jeff Hines, former head of Stellantis Canada, was appointed to lead the U.S. rollout of the global Pro One program.

The fleet division targets three main segments: government, commercial, and rental. Ferreira noted that FMCs account for about half the U.S. fleet market; the other half consists of self-managed fleets, which became a priority for outreach.

Ferreira said fleet representatives for mid-size accounts, such as those with 300 to 400 vehicles, will remain the same.

A new internal sales support team, with regional staff in the East, Central, and West, handles administrative tasks. Eight of 10 planned support positions have been filled.

Technology and Connectivity Updates

Traditionally, vehicle diagnostic trouble code (DTC) alerts were not consistently communicated to customers or the dealer network, Ferreira said.

Ferreira said the revamped Connected Fleet platform is being structured to route DTCs simultaneously to fleets and fleet management companies, as well as to dealers, to improve visibility into vehicle health and to coordinate service scheduling.

A program called Custom Fit is being adapted from Stellantis’ European model to support more factory-integrated upfitting where feasible, rather than relying solely on post-delivery modifications. Vehicle connectivity is used to track units from factory build through third-party upfitting, aiming to reduce delays and alleviate what Ferreira characterized as a “black hole” in visibility.

Ram pickups now include an optional Digital Key feature that operates via Bluetooth without the need for a physical fob. The system is in beta testing with a large car rental company.

Powertrain Options and Customer Feedback

Ferreira addressed questions about electric-vehicle adoption. He said interest in EVs grew before and during the pandemic, but that charging infrastructure remains a constraint, especially for drivers without home access to Level 2 chargers.

“We’re working to match operational requirements with the right powertrain,” he said, mentioning ProMaster EV for urban delivery in California; Wagoneer S EV for certain sales fleets; diesel Ram models for remote industrial work; and Jeep Cherokee hybrid, with 38–40 mpg.

Sales staff now assess route patterns, dwell times, and refueling access to recommend options based on total cost of ownership.

Global Practices Adapted for North America

Ferreira explained that two elements of the European model are being introduced in the U.S.

Custom Fit promotes factory-integrated upfitting, where feasible, rather than post-delivery modifications, supported by connected-vehicle tracking from production through delivery.

Stellantis is also introducing a more structured approach to supporting self-managed fleets, which represent roughly half of the U.S. market. In Europe, connected-vehicle data and diagnostic trouble codes are actively used to drive preventive maintenance, whereas in the U.S., those alerts often “disappear into nowhere,” Ferreira said.

Partnerships and Future Plans

Looking ahead, Stellantis is working with Nvidia, Uber, and Foxconn on mobility projects, including preparation for Level 4 autonomous vehicles and potential robotaxi services.

Ferreira said the recent Q3 fleet increase reflects the early progress of Stellantis’ U.S. realignment.

“We’re here to change things. We’ve already started, and the early results show it’s working,” he said. “The next 12 to 24 months will focus on strengthening rental relationships, tightening dealer integration, improving upfit visibility, and engaging more deeply with self-managed fleets.”