America’s cheapest new EV is smaller than a ping-pong table and tops out at 19mph.
If you’re looking for an affordable electric car these days, there are always trade-offs. How much distance are you willing to sacrifice, how much legroom and storage space, how many features, in pursuit of that magic sticker price that won’t break the bank?
The Fiat Topolino is basically the ultimate embodiment of that trade-off. For the ridiculously cheap price of $13,995, you get a top speed of 19mph, an all-electric range of 46 miles, and a wheelbase longer than a one-and-a-half-king mattress. In fact, the Topolino is smaller than a car and more of a sedan.
Fiat doesn’t try to hide that fact. In its announcement this week about the Topolino’s arrival in the US, the Stellantis-owned automaker referred to the compact EV as part of the “fast-growing micromobility space.” (It also calls the Topolino “a little slice of la dolce vita,” but it’s neither there nor there.) The 5.4kWh battery can be charged in about five hours when connected to a 2.3 kW AC charger.
In fact, the Topolino is smaller than a car and more of a sedan
Indeed, the Topolino is more akin to an electric quadricycle or golf cart than a Tesla Model Y. But as we’ve seen with the recent launch of the Slate Truck and the Amble One electric buggy, there’s a lot of work swirling around small, compact, and significantly cheaper EVs — especially as gas prices skyrocket for people. ways to travel.
Of course, Topolino won’t be for everyone. Like the redesigned Citroën Ami, it is designed primarily for short journeys in urban areas, as it is not yet legal for highway driving. And if 19mph is too slow for you, a Low Speed Low conversion kit will be available later this summer to increase the Topolino’s top speed to an eye-watering 25mph. Buckle up, baby. Or in the case of versions without an actual door, stay behind the rope.
Fiat leans on the golf cart, noting that many owners take their golf carts too far from the game. For them, this reflects a growing desire for personal vehicles that are smaller, slower, and less burdensome – but which can also be expressed by things like the electric bicycle.
Which does not mean that there will be chaos in the Fiat company to snatch one of these. Small cars have historically not sold well in the US. Fiat got off to a promising start, selling more than 43,000 vehicles in 2012, its first full year in the US, according to CNBC. Those sales have since disappeared, with the brand only cutting 1,300 sales by 2025. The Fiat 500e, the company’s only larger electric two-door, has been leasing for $0 down and $0 a month in Colorado for the past few years. The demand for this type of vehicle is not something I would consider reliable.
But the frenzy surrounding Japanese kei trucks, for example, has some trying to triangulate that small cars are still waiting to break out in the US. Even President Donald Trump could not hide his enthusiasm, he said “they are really good” and he wishes to see them made in the US. A week after this comment, Fiat announced that the Topolino will be coming to the states. (The automaker has denied any connection to Trump’s statement.)
Topolino certainly has its trade-offs, but its charm could help it find a dedicated audience. I could see this working very well in a resort or amusement park. Don’t try to turn too fast.
