Trump Kepincut Kei Car, Fiat Will Sign His Small Electric Car To America

Fiat Topolino's tiny electric car. (Photo: Fiat)

JAKARTA - Fiat has finally expanded its portfolio in the United States. after all this time relying solely on 500e as a single model, the US Market soon arrived with its petite brother, Fiat Topolino, a mini electric car that had already stolen the attention of the European public.

"Fiat Topolino, our tiny, cheerful, and colorful car, which is now everywhere in Europe, has been present in the US several times over the past year, including last month at the LA Auto Show, which created tremendous enthusiasm among consumers," said Fiat CEO Olivier Francois, quoted from InsideEvs, Tuesday, December 9.

"Sedemikan enthusiastically sehingga saya dengan senang mengumumkan bahwa kami akan menghadir Fiat Topolino ke AS, dengan detail lebih lanjut yang akan diumumkan tahun depan," lanjutnya.

The announcement comes shortly after President Donald Trump praised Kei Car Japan, and said manufacturers should be given room to build small vehicles in the US. However, Stellantis stressed to CNBC that plans to bring Topolino to America had nothing to do with Trump's comments.

Topolino itself first launched in 2023 as a two-passenger electric car sharing the platform with Citro total Ami and Opel Rocks Electric. Relying on a tiny 5.4 kWh battery supplying an 8-hp electric motor, the car offers a range of about 75 kilometers and a peak speed of 45 km/hour.

Its size, which is only 2.54 meters, will be striking if it is juxtaposed with a large SUV and pickup truck that dominates America's roads. Uniquely, in some European countries, Topolino can even be driven by 14-year-old children.

It is likely that Topolino will be positioned as the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). Namely, low-speed electric vehicles suitable for use in coastal areas such as Miami or Los Angeles, where tiny golf carts and EVs have become a common sight.

Regarding the price, Topolino sold around 11,500 US dollars in Europe. Fiat has not revealed how much of the price when he entered Uncle Sam's country, on the other hand, it is also difficult to imagine that this mini electric car could immediately boost Fiat's sales drastically.

Remembering last year this Italian brand only managed to sell around 1,500 units in America. However, Topolino's presence could be a breath of fresh air for the market there.