When Fiat first unveiled the Topolino EV, it was a very interesting international exclusive. The tiny little urban commuter had retro styling, the compact size needed to navigate tight city streets, and an ultra-low price tag. The one remaining question was whether it would make its way to the U.S. or not?

After several years of waiting and despite the EV and new vehicle markets literally changing around it, Fiat has finally brought the little Topolino to the U.S. but be sure to read the fine print before you go all-in on this spirited retromobile.

Topolino is cruising in style

The Topolino is by no means a big vehicle with the little EV measuring in at just over 4 feet long with an equally compact height of only 5 feet 1 inch tall. The core look is reminscent of older Fiat 500 models but buyers will have the choice of two trim levels: the standard model and the Dolcevita.

The standard version is roughly what you would expect, and is the minimalist member of the family with these models getting a digital instrument cluster standard along with a windshield defroster, a mobile device holder, and several storage nooks. The Dolcevita adds a rollback softtop roof, rope style doors, and unique badging. It’s stylish but simple, and Fiat hopes the unique canvas will help draw interest.

There’s just one catch

With all the things the tiny Topolino has going for it, we might as well point out the big proverbial elephant in the room, it’s not road legal….yet. All models in this first launch wave are powered by a 5.4-kWh battery pack which is attached to a small electric motor. The setup allows the EV to go 46 miles on a single charge but you’re saddled with a top speed of only 19 mph when you’re out and about.

That’s 6 mph short of being road legal in most places, but Fiat is well aware of that. Instead, the company has designed it to work at resorts, private neighborhoods, and other locales where a normal full-size vehicle wouldn’t be able to fit or go.

Fiat says the issue of road legality will eventually be solved with an optional LSV kit that owners can install. This kit will be available after launch, but it will allow the Topolino to increase its top speed to 25 mph. That’s enough to make it legal on most streets with a 35 mph speed limit, but expect plenty of feedback from the unfortunate souls who have to slowly follow behind you on your commute. Fiat says the Topolino can be fully charged in five hours when hooked up to a 2.3 kWh charging unit.

Will it sell?

While the Topolino is perhaps the last thing many dealers want when it comes to demanding more inventory to sell customers, the EV does have a niche that it can exploit. Look for this to be readily apparent for dealerships in certain areas where high tourism and the need to give these visitors a cheap mode of transportation to possibly rent for a day or even a few hours will drive plenty of resorts and hotels into their showrooms. Urban areas like Chicago and New York could also benefit since the Topolino’s low top speed (even with its LSV kit installed)will not be a major issue.

In addition to these uses, the Topolino is also being pitched as a canvas of free expression with Fiat teaming up with Motori & Customs to not only produce special edition versions in the future, but also offer accessories that owners themselves can put on to make the Topolino the best expression of themselves possible.