The battle of the premium EV golf carts is heating up.
Fiat announced this week that its tiny Topolino EV is now available in the United States. Its parent company, Stellantis, says the launch marks its first entry into the “fast-growing” U.S. micromobility segment.
The Topolino, which means “little mouse” in Italian, is an 8-foot-long, low-speed EV that starts at just $13,995, plus an additional destination fee.
“Topolino represents a new chapter for the brand in the U.S. – defined not just by size, but by purpose,” said Olivier Francois, FIAT brand CEO, in a press release. “With Topolino, we bring a feeling, a lifestyle, a reminder that mobility can be joyful, expressive and beautifully simple.”
The company says the vehicle was designed for “life beyond crowded streets — from coastal drives and resort communities to private neighborhoods.”
That sounds a lot like the pitch from Amble, the electric buggy startup from Apple design veteran Julian Hoenig.
The startup publicly launched its first EV, the Amble One, last month. The company described the minimalist electric buggy as part of a new category of lightweight EVs built for short trips. Like the Topolino, Amble says its vehicle is designed for short-range rides through places like coastal paths, villages, neighborhoods, and private estates.
Hoenig said the idea came from his friend and Amble co-founder José António Uva, a Portuguese hotelier who complained about how hard it was to find good golf carts for hotels.
Fiat is making a similar argument. In its press release, the company noted that golf cart owners often use their carts outside of golf courses, which it said reflects demand for a practical micromobility solution that the current market has not fully addressed.
But that is where the comparisons end.
Despite attempting to fill a similar niche, the Amble One costs $25,000, nearly twice as much as the Topolino.
The Amble One is also slightly longer, at about 10 feet, and comes already street legal with a top speed of roughly 40 miles per hour and a range of around 60 miles on a single charge.
The Topolino, meanwhile, tops out at 19 miles per hour and can travel up to 46 miles on a charge. Fiat says a free conversion kit arriving by the end of this summer will boost its top speed to 25 miles per hour, allowing it to operate on many public roads with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less.
The Topolino is now available in limited quantities through select dealers and comes in two versions.
The standard model has a panoramic sunroof and traditional doors. The Topolino Dolcevita, which means “sweet life,” has a roll-back soft top and uses rope for doors.
Despite its limitations, if you are truly just looking for an EV for simple short rides around a beach town, resort, or private neighborhood, it is hard to beat the Topolino’s price.
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