The Fiat Topolino, one of the smallest electric vehicles you can buy in the UK, is now available to order, with prices starting at £8,995 – but, officially, it’s not actually a car at all. Instead, the Topolino is classed as a quadricycle, putting it in the same category as its sister model, the Citroën Ami, on which it is based. That means it comes with restrictions on weight, power and speed, but also allows it to offer a very different take on urban mobility to a conventional small car. The Fiat Topolino has a minimalist interior and will seat two people (Fiat)The Topolino shares its platform, battery, motor and basic dimensions with the Ami, but wraps them in a much more characterful, retro-inspired body that pays tribute to the original Fiat 500 Topolino built between 1936 and 1955. That Italian charm doesn’t come cheap, though. While the Citroën Ami starts from £7,695 in the UK, the new Topolino carries a £1,300 premium, with prices starting at £8,995 on the road. Like the Ami, the Topolino is powered by a 6kW electric motor fed by a 5.5kWh battery. That gives it a top speed of 28mph and a claimed range of up to 46 miles, making it best suited to short trips around towns, restricted business areas like airports, hotel resorts, private estates and other low-speed environments. Operation is about as straightforward as motoring gets. There’s a single-speed transmission and just three buttons to select Drive, Neutral and Reverse, while the compact dimensions and excellent visibility should make squeezing through city streets and into tight parking spaces a doddle. Despite its tiny footprint, Fiat says there’s enough room for two adults thanks to offset seating, while storage totals up to 63 litres. There’s even a “Dolce Vita Box” – a fabric-topped storage compartment mounted on top of the dashboard.The new Topolino carries a £1,300 premium over the Citroen Ami, with the Fiat's prices beginning at £8,995 on the road. (Fiat)Kris Cholmondeley, managing director of Fiat UK, said: “Topolino is an important part of Fiat’s sustainable micromobility strategy, delivering simple, accessible urban mobility. It offers a practical solution for short journeys, leisure use and city environments, while fully embracing Fiat’s values of joy, simplicity and fun.”Topolino – which is Italian for “little mouse” – is available to order now through selected UK Fiat retailers and will be built to order. Whether buyers will be prepared to pay a significant premium over the mechanically identical Citroën Ami for a slice of Italian style remains to be seen.