Tiny Fiat EV could come to Canada if there’s demand

Orders are now being taken for Fiat‘s new tiny electric vehicle (EV) in the United States, which the parent company, Stellantis, says could come to Canada depending on demand.

Details of the vehicle’s official release in the U.S. were outlined in a release this week from Stellantis, but there are no immediate plans to offer the Topolino in Canada.

“The Fiat Topolino will be initially available in the U.S. as it makes its debut in North America,” said a spokesperson at Stellantis Canada in a statement sent to Global News.

“Based on consumer interest and demand, availability may expand to other regions.”

The Fiat Topolino EV occupies a space between a golf cart and a conventional car, and to qualify for broader road use, or what Stellantis calls “street legal,” it requires an upgrade to meet certain U.S. and Canadian Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) requirements.

According to Stellantis, the car was considered Fiat’s first economical car and launched just before the Second World War. At the time, Stellantis says, “motor cars were to become personal mobility instruments and expressions of unprecedented freedom.”

Stellantis also says the Topolino represents a market transition into offering more “micromobility” for consumers.

The vehicle has a starting price in the U.S. of just under US$14,000 (about CAD$20,000) before shipping fees. That makes it among the lowest priced new EVs available in the U.S.

With a standard configuration, the Fiat Topolino is able to drive to a maximum speed of 19 m.p.h., according to Stellantis. That’s about 30 km/h.

With a conversion kit, that base speed could be increased from 19 to 25 m.p.h., or about 40 km/h, and allow it to meet certain LSV regulations.