√Fiat unveils world’s cutest electric car, and kids can drive it

The retro-styled Fiat Topolino has a claimed driving range of 75km on a single charge, a canvas ‘open-top’ roof – and ropes instead of doors.

Italian car-maker Fiat has unveiled what is arguably the world’s cutest electric vehicle.

Based on the French Citroen Ami – a stablemate under the auto giant Stellantis umbrella – the Fiat Topolino borrows styling elements from the modern-day Fiat 500, while its name is an homage to the original Fiat 500, nicknamed the Topolino (Italian for ‘little mouse’) produced between 1936 and 1955.

Inkeeping with the homage to the original, the Fiat Topolino has funky design elements such as a canvas top, no side windows and ropes in place of doors.

The Fiat Topolino is classified as a large quadricyle in Europe, which means it can’t be registered for road use in Australia.

A quadricyle is essentially a four-wheeled vehicle with power outputs ranging from 4kW to 15kW, with a top speed limited to 45km/h.

The licencing requirements for Europe, where quadricyles remain a popular urban vehicle in towns and small villages, state they can be driven by anyone over the age of 16.

In France quadricycles are classified as ‘vehicles without licence’ meaning anyone over the age of 14 can drive one, providing they have completed an eight-hour driving course taken at an accredited driving school.

Fiat is yet to confirm technical details of what is only the second electric vehicle in its range following the Fiat 500e which launched internationally last month.

If, as expected, the Fiat Topolino sits on the same platform as the Citroen Ami (below), expect a 6kW electric motor powered by a 5.5kWh lithium-ion battery and a top speed of 45km/h. Maximum driving range on a single charge is listed at 75km, based on the World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC) cycle.

Fiat teased a single photo of the Topolino which reveals little in the way of detail other than confirming it’s a two-seater.

While Fiat is yet to reveal pricing overseas, the Citroen Ami – on which the Topolino is based – is currently priced at €8390 in France, or around $AU13,777.

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