Fast Company
Sick of skyrocketing car prices? This tiny, cute EV costs just $13,995—but there’s a catch
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t think automobile prices are getting out of control. Ever since the pandemic, the prices of both new and used cars have been skyrocketing, with American consumers’ total auto debt surging to $1.68 trillion at the end of 2025—up 37% since 2018.
According to Kelly Blue Book, the average price of a new car in May was just over $49,000. CarGuru’s data shows that the average price for a used car is now topping out at more than $29,000, as of July 6.
But what if you could get a new, fully electric vehicle for well below the average price of a new or even used car—say, $13,995? The good news is that you can now—but with some big caveats.
Stellantis opens U.S. orders for its cute $13,995 Fiat Topolino EV
This week, Chrysler owner Stellantis announced it had opened orders for its 2026 Fiat Topolino. The car has a ton of appeal, especially if you like the type of small micro-vehicles commonly found on the streets of Italy and Japan.
But the best thing about the Fiat Topolino is its price. The cute, tiny car starts at just $13,995. It comes in two models: the standard Fiat Topolino with a hard top and doors, or the Fiat Topolino Dolcevita, with a roll-back soft top and ropes instead of doors. Both vehicles are also fully electric.
[Photo: Stellantis]
Stellantis’ announcement that it was beginning sales of the Fiat Topolino wasn’t unexpected. Back in December, the Netherlands-headquartered company announced it was bringing the micro car to the U.S.—and the company made the announcement just a week after President Donald Trump praised Japan’s tiny cars, called kei cars.
“They’re very small. They’re really cute,” Trump said of the cars at the time during a White House meeting with automaker leaders, per CNBC.
Now for the catch
Unfortunately, while you can order the new Fiat Topolino for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of just $13,995, in its bare-bones state, you are limited to where you can actually drive it.
You see, at its $13,995 base price, the Fiat Topolino can only reach speeds of 19 mph. This means that, legally, you can only drive it on private property, such as gated communities and resorts.
However, Stellantis is offering a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) conversion kit for the Topolino, which will be available by the end of summer and will boost its maximum speed to 25 mph. This option will cost another $990, raising the suggested retail price of the Topolino to $14,985, notes CNBC.
However, the LSV conversion also means the Topolino will become street legal on public roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Even with the LSV conversion, you still aren’t going to be taking the tiny, cute car on the highway, but it could be the perfect choice for those in major cities like New York, where speed limits are low and parking space is at a premium.
If you think the car might be a viable commuting option for you, you can book a test drive at a local dealer through the FiatUSA website.
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