Fiat is exploring new avenues of mobility, the latest product from its labs is the adorable Topolino. Doorless and purposed for sustainable travel around the city, we speculate how well it would fare on South Africa’s bustling streets.
Like many automakers, Fiat has invested its time into the idea of improved urban mobility which has spawned one of the most beguiling four-wheelers to grace the world in the last decade. The Fiat Topolino, based on the Citroën Ami, is marketed as an all-electric and compact form of transport catered to daily driving around dense cityscapes.
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Topolino translates to “baby mouse” which is a fitting name for a car that is only 2,5 meters long making it one meter shorter than the bite-sized Suzuki S-Presso. This tiny frame results in a very minute road presence which is not the greatest trait to have if you’re competing in busy city streets.
Another shortfall in its design for a South African context is doorless configurations. The little Fiat is offered in two specifications namely; the Topolino model equipped with traditional doors, and the Topolino Dolcevita, which is the open-door variation that omits the traditional door panel in favour of stanchions. The open doored version would be unfeasible for use in South Africa given the volatile nature of our roads and high crime rates.
Additionally, the sometimes door-less two-seater is limited to 45 km/h which would fit perfectly in urban settings where the speed limit is roughly 30 km/h, however, it’s extremely impractical to use on highways or even regular roads where the average speed limit is 60 km/h. Cementing its impracticality is its abysmal range of 75 km and even more impractical 0 to 100% charging time of four hours!
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The Topolino is not designed to cater to the needs of local motorists but rather for the residents of seaside Italian and European hamlets. Although a far-fetched idea when observing it from a South African motorist’s perspective, if it were sold locally then would you be interested in owning one?
