I spent some time with the Fiat Topolino in Zurich recently, and it’s 100% something you’ll want even if you don’t need it. It may not be a car, but its charming design and retro-inspired styling pay tribute to the original Fiat 500. There’s nothing about the electric quadricycle that you won’t love, even if you didn’t watch Mickey Mouse growing up!
Design
The Fiat Topolino, unlike the Citroen Ami that it is based on, doesn’t have symmetrical front and rear fascias. The layout is more car-like, with a bonnet-like upper panel and two-tier lighting setup styled like the Fiat 500, wheel and side mirror caps inspired by vintage Italian cars, and vertical LED loops that serve as the taillights.
The vehicle also gets ‘bumpers’ which are satin chrome trim pieces attached to the lower front and rear. The upper part of the body is finished in black, which adds a nice contrast to the light green ‘Verde Vita’ color. The entire vehicle is constructed with fiberglass-reinforced thermoplastic (FRP), but feels stronger than a well-specified electric scooter.
An ‘open body’ design is also available, which replaces the roof and the doors with ropes and a curtain!
Interior
The vehicle’s doors swing open in opposite directions, and once I got in, I realized there aren’t any handles inside. Instead, there’s a simple strap you pull to close the door.
Inside, the cabin has that unmistakable Italian character, reminding me of the original Fiat 500. Everything is minimal but thoughtfully styled. The seats are tiny and meant for short distances, but they still feel better than sitting on a scooter seat in the rain. I’d say this is a perfect city runabout for narrow European streets.
For a six-footer like me, there’s enough headroom, though the seats could be wider. My thighs pressed against the seatbelt buckle, which wasn’t ideal. Still, for what it is, space isn’t bad.
It comes with a three-point seatbelt, a manual handbrake, something I haven’t seen in ages, and a small instrument cluster showing speed and remaining range. The buttons are all physical, and there’s a USB-C port for phone charging. There’s no infotainment system, just a phone holder.
There is no air conditioning, which is fine given the price and purpose. Outward visibility is excellent, thanks to large glass panels, and the bottom half of the windows tilts upward for ventilation. This is the first vehicle I’ve sat in where the glass roof is ahead of the steering wheel, a quirky but cool touch.
Specifications
The Fiat Topolino is powered by a 6 kW electric motor delivering 8.2 hp to the front wheels through an automatic transmission. Energy consumption is rated between 7.2 and 8.0 kWh/100 km, and the vehicle offers a driving range of up to 75 km (47 mi) under WMTC conditions. Top speed is electronically limited to 45 km/h (28 mph).
Measuring 2,535 mm (99.8 in) in length, 1,400 mm (55.1 in) in width, and 1,530 mm (60.2 in) in height, the compact EV is designed for urban mobility.
Pricing
The Topolino is priced at EUR 9,490 (USD 10,979), which is quite pricey for an entry-level all-weather personal mobility solution, but far cheaper than an entry-level EV like the Leapmotor T03 or the Dacia Spring.
Topolino in the U.S.
The Topolino name is familiar to Americans, as this nameplate was used in a mass-market city car until the 1950s. Either well-maintained examples fetch north of USD 20,000, or enthusiasts modify old Topolinos in tune with the hot-rod culture.
Fiat has a history in the country, and it has also sold ‘fun’ and youthful cars like the 500 series. It has also displayed the modern-day Topolino in auto shows across the country, including Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.
This could be a perfect opportunity for Stellantis to leverage those aspects of the brand and offer the Topolino for shuttle services in resorts, hotels, residential communities, and golf courses across the U.S.
An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 17 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading global CEOs and vehicle developers.
