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- Stellantis introduces small EV “Topolino” to the US
- The Topolino has a top speed of 30 km/h and is powered by a single electric motor that produces 8 horsepower.
- If sold at the same price in Europe, the Topolino would cost about $11,500 in the United States.
Stellantis is bringing a little electric car to the U.S. market called the Topolino.
Topolino, which means “little mouse” in Italian, isn’t even technically a car. In the United States, it is likely to be classified as a low-speed vehicle. Less than 100 inches long, with 8 horsepower, 47 miles of range, and a small 5.5 kWh battery, the Topolino seems perfect for short urban trips, enclosed campuses, or cruising through quiet beach towns.
“It’s an escape for hotels and resorts,” said Stephanie Brinley, associate director of auto intelligence at S&P Global Mobility. “It’s a really small market.”
Although the Topolino is frequently displayed at car shows overseas and in the United States, the vehicle has never been sold in the United States. Fiat CEO Olivier Francois announced this week that the Topolino, which has been attracting attention at domestic car shows, will be coming to the United States.
“The Fiat Topolino is our small, fun and colorful car that is now ubiquitous in Europe, but it has also appeared in the United States several times over the past year, including at last month’s LA Auto Show, creating tremendous excitement among consumers,” Francois said in a news release. “We are pleased to share that we plan to bring the Fiat Topolino to the United States. Details will be announced next year.”
Brinley said he didn’t expect Fiat to make big sales with Topolino. And since the Topolino is a slow vehicle and not a proper car, it will not be factored into any analysis of the brand’s vehicle sales. But because they’re cute, Fiat may still be able to find a buyer despite their limited practicality, she said.
“Is there an opportunity for Fiat to sell a few of them because they’re adorable and cute? And there are probably some places where you could find a use for them. Yes,” Brinley said. “But it will remain a footnote in the market.”
Stellantis, the parent company of Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, has not announced when the vehicle will go on sale or how much it will cost. Stellantis sells Topolino in Europe for about 9,820 euros, or $11,500 (varies by country).
News of the Topolino’s U.S. introduction comes just days after President Donald Trump gushed about the future of small “light” vehicles in the country after a visit to Asia.
“When you go to Japan, which I just left, and you go to South Korea, Malaysia, and other countries, they have very small cars like the Volkswagen Beetle used to be,” President Trump said at a news conference last week while announcing plans to ease emissions standards for automakers. “They’re really cute because they’re so small.”
President Trump said he has “authorized” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to approve the production of light vehicles in the United States, but automakers are not prohibited from building light vehicles in the United States and there is no need to adjust the law to approve the vehicles.
Fiat spokeswoman Diane Morgan told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Topolino’s U.S. rollout has been planned for some time and is unrelated to President Trump’s desire to bring the small car to the United States.
Liam Rapley covers Stellantis and the UAW for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him: LRappleye@freepress.com.
