GoKawiilis transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.
When searching for an affordable electric vehicle these days, there are always tradeoffs. How much range are you willing to sacrifice, how much leg room and storage space, how many features, in the pursuit of that magic sticker price that won’t break the bank?
The Fiat Topolino is basically the ultimate embodiment of those tradeoffs. For the dirt cheap price of $13,995, you get a top speed of 19mph, an all-electric range of 46 miles, and a wheelbase that’s barely longer than one and a half king mattresses. In fact, the Topolino is less of a car and more of a micromobility vehicle.
Fiat isn’t trying to hide that fact. In it’s announcement this week about the Topolino’s arrival in the US, the Stellantis-owned automaker refers to the bite-sized EV as part of “the fast-growing micromobility space.” (It also cringingly calls the Topolino “a little piece of la dolce vita,” but that’s neither here nor there.) The 5.4kWh battery can be topped up in approximately five hours when plugged into a 2.3 kW AC charger.
In fact, the Topolino is less of a car and more of a micromobility vehicle
Indeed, the Topolino has more in common with an electric quadricycle or a golf cart than it does with a Tesla Model Y. But as we’ve seen with the recent launch of the Slate Truck and Amble One electric buggy, there’s plenty of activity swirling around smaller, more compact, and noticeably cheaper EVs — especially as high gas prices are making more people reconsider the trucks and SUVs sitting in their driveways.
Of course, the Topolino won’t be for everyone. As a restylized Citroën Ami, it’s designed primarily for short trips in an urban setting, as it’s not yet legal for highway driving. And if 19mph is too slow for you, a complimentary Low Speed Vehicle conversion kit will be available later this summer to increase the Topolino’s max speed to an eye-watering 25mph. Buckle up, baby. Or in the case of the versions without a real door, stay behind the braided rope.
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