Cheapest Fiat in the US, the electric Topolino debuts banned on the roads; understand

The Fiat Topolino officially arrived in the North American market with a starting price of US$ 13,995 (about R$ 72 thousand), which positions it as the brand’s cheapest model in the United States and as the most affordable electric car for sale at a dealership in the country. There is a catch: the microcar cannot circulate immediately on public roads.

This is because the Topolino was approved, at first, in the same category as golf carts: the maximum speed is limited to about 30 km/h, below the federal minimum required to travel on the street, so that use is restricted to private properties, condominiums and resorts.

Fiat says that the limitation will be temporary. Later this year, until the end of the summer in the US, the manufacturer will offer a free conversion kit that fits the model into the federal category of low-speed vehicles (LSV). The update raises the maximum speed to 40 km/h (25 mph) and includes an internal rearview mirror, reversing camera and audible alert for pedestrians, items required by legislation.

Converted, the Topolino will be able to run on roads with a limit of up to 56 km/h (35 mph), a rule adopted by most states, but will remain prohibited on highways and interstates. The price, in turn, tends to rise: in addition to US$ 13,995, there is a mandatory shipping fee of US$ 990, which takes the initial value to US$ 14,985 (about R$ 77 thousand). As a reference, the direct competitor GEM e2 is already sold ready for the streets for around US$ 18.990.

Derived from the Citroën Ami – a platform that has already exceeded 75 thousand units in Europe and is produced in Morocco – the Topolino is about 2.5 m long, has two seats and is just under 490 kg. It is powered by an electric motor of about 8 hp, powered by a 5.4 kWh battery that yields up to 74 km of autonomy, with a full recharge of around five hours at a 2.3 kW outlet. The list of equipment is lean: LED lighting, seat belts, windshield, defroster and cell phone holder, without air conditioning, sound or airbags — these are dispensed with in the LSV category.

In the United States, the model is offered in two versions, both in Vita Green and with retro-looking 14″ wheels. The conventional one has a panoramic glass roof and asymmetrical doors, while the Dolce Vita replaces the doors with ropes and adopts a retractable canvas roof, inspired by the Mediterranean.

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