Fiat Revives Topolino Name for Cute Electric City Car for Europe
Meet the Fiat Topolino, a charming little electric runabout that does away with doors and includes a canvas convertible top. The Topolino name comes from the original Fiat 500 introduced in 1936, but the new Topolino is more reminiscent of the Fiat Jolly beach cars of the 1960s.Based on the Citroën Ami, the Topolino should be capable of a 47-mile electric range and a top speed just under 28 mph.
Fiat is reviving the classic Topolino moniker for its latest electric city car, and the result is predictably adorable. Based on the Citroën Ami, a two-passenger pod that entered production in 2020, the Topolino brings back the endearing nickname (which means “little mouse” in Italian) bestowed on the original Fiat 500 built from 1936 to 1955.
Fiat only shared one image of the new Topolino, displaying the car in a pleasant pastel shade of seafoam green. Calling the cheerful little bubble a “car” is actually a bit generous, since the Topolino and its Ami sibling are technically considered quadricycles in Europe and can be driven without a license in certain countries. The Topolino’s front end is noticeably different from the Ami’s, with a softer look, silver trim that emulates an old-school bumper, and silver circular elements around the headlights.
The original Fiat 500 “Topolino.”
Fiat
Although the name comes from the original 500, the new Topolino calls to mind the beach-roaming Jollys popular in touristy coastal towns by eschewing doors for a rope barrier like you might find at the front of the line for an amusement park ride. The Topolino wears retro-style white wheels, features a striped pattern on the dashboard, and appears to include a canvas convertible top.
Fiat didn’t release any specifications for the Topolino, but we imagine it will share its powertrain with the Ami, which pairs a 5.5-kWh battery with an 8-hp electric motor motivating the front wheels. The Ami is good for a claimed range of 47 miles and tops out just under 28 mph. The same numbers should apply to the Topolino, and we imagine it will be a hit in towns along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, its diminutive size makes the Topolino unfeasible for the United States, so it will likely remain a European exclusive.
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Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
