Still, while we like to rip on Stellantis\u2019 often silly ideas<\/a>, this is not one of them. According to Automotive News<\/strong>, there\u2019s plenty of demand for the Topolino and similar vehicles Stateside. And that makes sense once you think about it.<\/p>\n You may think marketing something electrically powered with single-figure horsepower in the US is business suicide. But it\u2019s actually a remarkably shrewd move from Stellantis. To find a market for the Topolino, we need to look south to Florida, a place where things are just weird enough for the tiny EV to fit in.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever spent time in certain Floridian communities or suburbs, you\u2019ll notice people don\u2019t get from A to B in a car. Instead, they often use golf carts to meet their transit needs. A fair number of these carts are gas-powered, but many are electric. And that makes sense, since you don\u2019t really need an ICE engine to run a golf cart, and the lack of fuel smell is probably a positive. Many resorts across the country also use golf carts to transport guests between their various areas.<\/p>\n When you compare the Topolino to any commercial EV, it looks like a bit of a joke. But compared to the average golf cart, it looks like a Bugatti Chiron. A golf cart typically has between 3 mph and 5 horsepower; the Topolino basically doubles<\/em> that. The same goes for the top speed, 12 to 15 mph for a golf cart, 28 for the Topolino.<\/p>\n Range is a similar story, with even the best golf carts tending to tap out after 30 miles. The Topolino will keep going for 47. The Fiat is a bit heavier, with its 1,239 of weight doubling that of a lighter cart. But it does offer a fully enclosed cabin, so you don\u2019t need to worry about wind, rain, or excessive UV damage.<\/p>\n A Fiat Topolino is more spacious than the average golf cart, too. At close to 100 inches long and just over 55 inches wide, it\u2019s going to be noticeably roomier than a 92 x 48 standard golf cart. Even if the enclosed cabin might make it feel a bit smaller.<\/p>\n New golf carts also tend to set you back between $8,000 and $18,000. So the Topolino may actually be on the lower-end of the price spectrum.<\/p>\n Stellantis has denied that its decision to bring the Topolino across the Atlantic is related to recent microcar-friendly legislation pushed by the current US administration. Inspired by ultra-efficient Japanese “kei cars,\u201d the “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” initiative (a rollback of CAFE standards<\/a>) essentially approved the manufacture of microcars like the Topolino. The catch is, they pretty much have to be built in the US, rather than be imported.<\/p>\n However, the Topolino could still fall foul of other US legislation. Namely, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards related to crash-worthiness (imagine one getting T-Boned by a Hummer), and various state-level restrictions.<\/p>\n Loopholes and category-based exemptions do exist. It\u2019s why you see things like the Polaris Slingshot in its own special category, or how some states allow lawnmowers on public roads. So that may be the route Stellantis takes with its new EV.\u00a0We\u2019ve hit the point where things like acceleration,\u00a00-60 times,<\/a> and raw power just aren\u2019t that interesting anymore when it comes to EVs.<\/span> But the Topolino is genuinely interesting, and I\u2019m looking forward to bellowing expletives in frustration when I\u2019m eventually stuck behind one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fiat is bringing an 8-horsepower (that isn\u2019t a typo, it really is eight horsepower) EV to the United States. The … <\/p>\nWho\u2019s actually going to buy a Fiat Topolino?<\/h2>\n
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Legislation may help the Fiat Topolino, but could hurt it too<\/h2>\n
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