New Fiat Topolino will be a convertible Citroen Ami

• Maximum range of 46 miles
• Could come with folding soft-top
• Due to arrive before the end of 2023

If you thought the funky and French Citroen Ami was lacking in Italian flair, you might be in luck as Fiat is confirmed to be in talks with Citroen to sell a rebadged version of the tiny electric car under the ‘Topolino’ nameplate.

The upcoming Fiat Topolino could be amongst the cheapest new vehicles on sale in the UK, perhaps available for as little as £20 per month – just like its Citroen sibling which went on sale in 2022. 

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Also like the Ami, the Topolino won’t technically be classed as a car per se; given its tiny size and 28mph top speed, the latest addition to the Fiat range will fall under the umbrella of quadricycles, meaning it can be driven by those holding a Class AM licence, which typically only permits the usage of two-wheeled vehicles such as mopeds.

While Fiat is yet to properly unveil the Topolino, we don’t expect there to be a huge visual difference between it and the Citroen Ami of which it’ll share almost all of its parts. The Ami already has another mechanical sibling in the form of the Opel Rocks-e, which is only available in continental Europe and looks almost identical to its Citroen counterpart, bar a smattering of brand-specific badges and some unique decals.

One thing that could differentiate Fiat’s tiny electric car offering, however, is the inclusion of an opening fabric soft-top – just like certain versions of the original Topolino city car, which was sold in the 1930’s through the mid-1950’s.

However, unlike that car, the new Fiat Topolino will not be sold with a petrol engine; sharing its setup with the Ami, the Topolino is expected to be powered by a 5kWh battery, alongside an 8bhp electric motor. While this only provides a range of up to 46 miles, a full charge can be achieved via a standard three-pin plug in just under three hours.

At this stage, Fiat has only confirmed that it’s “in talks” with Citroen regarding the Topolino (despite rumours claiming some dealerships have already been shown pre-production examples), meaning we are probably a few months away from a full reveal. When it does arrive, the Fiat Topolino will be firmly targeted at city dwellers, offering an affordable alternative to a full-size car for short-distance commutes.

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