There aren't many people in North America who have driven the ultimate four-wheeled accessory, the Fiat Topolino. I am one of the lucky few, and so is my friend and colleague Adam Ismail, so at least 40% of The Drive staff is excited for this thing to finally go on sale in the United States. But there's only one drawback: it's too damn expensive.Stellantis announced today that a "little piece of la dolce vita is now crossing the Atlantic and into America." The Topolino, which is Italian for "little mouse," is available for purchase at select Fiat dealers nationwide, though frankly, I didn't think there were Fiat dealers left because I haven't seen one in ages. Two trims of the micro EV will go on sale: the base Topolino and the Topolino Dolcevita, the convertible no-door variant I drove.Buying either Topolino trim will set you back $13,990 plus a $990 destination fee, bringing the out-the-door price to $14,980 plus taxes and fees. That is seriously too much money for the equivalent of a fashionable, two-person golf cart powered by a 5.4-kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor driving the front wheels. Fiat also claims a top speed of 19 mph for U.S.-bound Topolinos—though I know for a fact I hit 30 mph in mine in the hilly South of France.Jerry PerezPer the automaker, owners will be able to increase the top speed to 25 mph "to become street legal through installation of a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) conversion kit by the end of summer 2026." I'm not entirely sure why this is, or how putting buyers of an already extremely niche, expensive little toy makes any sense, but I'd wager it's some regulatory loophole necessary to import and sell these things here.AdvertisementAdvertisementPrice aside, the Topolino is extremely practical, comfortable, and ideal transportation for major cities where parking is a challenge, or for people who don't need more than a small roof on wheels to commute but otherwise don't really need a car. Despite its awesome 46-mile range, I don't see the Topolino being more than a novelty in the U.S., and it will never be taken seriously. In contrast, I just spent some time in Amsterdam and several cities across France and Italy last month, where these things are extremely common.Jerry PerezSadly for me, buying one in my state of Indiana will set me back $16,300, and that's before registering the thing or acquiring that conversion kit to increase its top speed. That is just too much.Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com
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