Fiat goes big on small affordable EVs: Line-up includes a spiritual replacement for the iconic Ape ute
Fiat has unwrapped two cute EVs based on its Fiat Topolino microcar sold in Europe, with one of them including a battery-powered replacement for the Piaggio Ape that first went on sale in 1948 and was only dropped in Europe over emissions regulations in 2024.
Named the Fiat Tris, the new pint-sized battery-powered ute sticks with three wheels and has just been confirmed for the right-hand-drive UK market, not that any conversion has been needed for the centrally mounted seat.
It has already been announced that it will be priced from just €6950 ($11,500), comfortably making the Tris one of the cheapest utes ever to be potentially offered in Australia.
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In Europe, the Fiat Tris is classified as a motorised tricycle, providing substantially lower running costs than a small delivery van when it comes to tolls, rego and insurance.
Created for ‘last-mile’ deliveries, the Tris comes with a respectable 540kg payload, plus the choice of either a rear tray, chassis-cab or truck bed with space to load two standard-size pallets.
Fiat is also working with partners to produce a version with a refrigerated rear compartment, while from launch a ‘Dolcevita’ second row of seats is already available.
Powering the Tris is a 6.9kWh battery that provides a range of 88.5km on the World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC).
Driving the small Fiat ute is a 9kW e-motor that drags the Tris to its limited 45km/h top speed.
Sadly, fast DC charging is not available, so a 0-80 per cent top-up takes 3.5 hours using a domestic plug, while a full charge takes five hours.
For markets like the UK, mandatory doors will be fitted to meet safety requirements, while inside all models come with a 12-volt socket, USB-C charging port and a 5.7-inch digital instrument cluster.
Accompanying the Tris on stage at the recent Stellantis Investor Day was the Multiplina – a four-seat version of the Topolino, which itself is a Citroen Ami in drag.
Sharing the same fold-down windows as the Topolino, the Multiplina also comes with a peel-back canvas roof.
Said to be close to production, the four-seat electric microcar will be fully unveiled before the end of this year, when it will be launched with a larger motor and bigger battery that should see it top out at 89km/h and cover more than 70km on a charge.
Set to be offered in markets like the UK, the Fiat Multiplina is expected to cost £14,000 ($27,000).
