Fiat now sells the cheapest EV in America, although there are a ton of asterisks to go with that…
Alongside the already small Fiat 500e, there’s now another option for folks on our side of the Atlantic: the tiny Topolino. It’s been on sale over in Europe for a few years, but the first batch of these tiny “cars” (more on why I have that in quotes in a moment) just landed here. So, if you want a little runabout, you can now buy one, with prices starting at $14,985.
Fundamentally, Fiat’s Topolino is the same vehicle as the Citroën Ami we covered a few years back. That’s down to the asymmetric doors that swing in opposite directions, or, if you go for the “Dolce Vita”…no doors at all and a simple rope instead. You can also forego a hardtop roof and panoramic glass sunroof for an open-air affair, again for around that $15K price point. What you don’t get a choice in, though, is the Verde Vita color that will adorn all Topolinos sold here in the U.S. 14-inch wheels (when’s the last time you saw wheels that small?), a phone holder, a USB-C port and digital gauge cluster are standard, and about all the creature comforts you get in this quadricycle.
The Fiat Topolino, with its 5.4-kWh battery and 8-horsepower electric motor, isn’t classified as a car, as such. Never mind that Fiat’s tiny little EV here measures out to 99.6 inches long, 61.2 inches tall and 56.4 inches wide. The 500e, by comparison, is a full 3.5 feet longer. It’s only capable of a top speed of 19 mph off the bat, so it’s not road legal. At least, not yet.
Initially, the Topolino will be limited to private property use (so it’s a bit more like a golf cart in that respect). However, the company will have a conversion kit available later this fall that will add on the items necessary to classify it as a “Low Speed Vehicle” that can be driven on public roads. Things like a backup camera, rearview mirror, side mirrors and seat belts will be part of that kit — it does already have LED headlights and taillights — and the top speed will get a bump to 25 mph. Better yet, Fiat says the kit will be available at no extra charge.
As far as range and charging goes, the onboard battery does allow for up to 46 miles of driving. DC fast-charging is (I’d hope obviously) not available here, though you can charge it up in about five hours on a 2.3-kW AC outlet.
So…who exactly is this for? Going back to that golf cart reference, the Topolino is, according to Stellantis, “a low-speed electric vehicle designed for life beyond crowded streets — from coastal drives and resort communities to private neighborhoods. In the United States, for example, most golf cart owners purchase these vehicles for purposes far beyond the golf course.” The idea here is to try and tap a market for “micromobility solutions” most automakers have yet to touch on in America.
You could argue they haven’t touched the segment for good reason, but those who do want to try it out can get one of “limited quantities” through select dealerships with a $2,500 deposit.
While we’ve yet to take the plunge on a Topolino, we have covered the Fiat 500e extensively. You can check out how that’s going below:
