The new Fiat Topolino is a dinky two-seater electric vehicle for eco-friendly adventures of up to 47 miles. Olivia Palamountain reports
Fiat’s mission to develop sustainable mobility solutions for cities has a new champion in the Fiat Topolino, a compact, fully-electric vehicle with retro styling.
Not technically an electric car, the Fiat Topolino is officially classed as a quadricycle, which means it can be driven by a 16 year old with a 50cc moped licence in the UK, with the option to drive it from age 14 in certain countries, including Italy and France.
Already on the road in parts of Europe, the Topolino will be available to drive in the UK this year with an expected starting price of around £8,000.
According to the Italian brand, the cute two-seater EV “brings a new notion of la dolce vita to the city streets, designed for a wide audience, including younger customers, families and city lovers”.
Named after the affectionate nickname given to the original Fiat 500 due to its small size, the Topolino (that’s “little mouse” in Italian) measures just 2.53 metres in length. However, despite its dinky dimensions, neatly planned interiors offer a total of 63 litres of interior storage.
Designed to be quiet, efficient and affordable, the Topolino is powered by a battery and offers a range of up to 47 miles – more than enough oomph to zip around town. It can be fully charged in less than four hours
While the vehicle’s top speed of 28mph means you won’t be going anywhere fast, it should help drivers navigate the ever expanding 20mph limit zones in UK cities.
The Topolino comes in both open and closed models (the former has a sun roof) but is only available in one colour at present – Vita Green. However, personalisation options are available, such an exclusive shower designed for beach days, wooden effect stickers for the doors and striped roof stickers.
Added accessories include a spacious rack bag, a USB fan, a Bluetooth speaker, a thermal water bottle for both hot and cold drinks, and two seat covers that convert into beach towels.