The Fiat Topolino has been in the news for several years, and now it’s the subject of both praise and derision in the US as Stellantis has opened the offering with a starting price of $13,995.
“The vehicle is actually a quadricycle”
The American media presents it as a vehicle that “looks like a small car, but is actually a quadricycle that functions closer to a golf vehicle.” The portal InsideEVs summed up the impression in the headline: the vehicle is cute, but hardly a car. The reason is the maximum speed of about 30 km/h and a range of up to 74 kilometers. With a mandatory $990 delivery fee, the actual price for the US customer rises to $14,985.
As already known, the technical base is modest: it accommodates two passengers and is powered by a 5.4 kWh lithium-ion battery paired with an 8-horsepower electric motor. Charging takes about five hours on a regular household socket. It is produced in Morocco, and will be available in limited quantities in the US this year, as a hardtop model with doors or as a Dolce Vita convertible with a soft top, where ropes replace the classic doors.
The complication lies in regulation
In its basic form, the Topolino is not legal for American public roads; only the conversion package, which raises the maximum speed to 40 kilometers per hour, enables driving on roads with a limit of up to 56 kilometers per hour. The package is expected at the end of summer 2026, and Stellantis will not charge extra for it. Until then, the vehicle was limited to private properties, gated communities and resorts.
The launch also has a political dimension
Stellantis confirmed the Topolin’s arrival in the US late last year, less than a week after President Trump praised the Japanese kei cars as “very small” and “really cute” in a White House meeting with Stellantis CEO Antonio Filos. Stellantis claims that the decision is not related to these comments and that Fiat was examining the interest of American customers at car shows.
More skeptical voices warn about the brand’s past results. Fiat sold about 1,300 vehicles in the US last year, which is negligible for a market where more than 15 million cars are sold annually.
Americans can thus buy a new electric vehicle for the price of a used compact car, which is not allowed on public roads until autumn. A new chapter, albeit at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour.