The charming Fiat Topolino is now officially set to go on sale in the United States. Buyers will be able to order one of these tiny micro-mobility vehicles through a Fiat dealer, and in some cases even drive it on public roads. Brilliant as that sounds, the process is not quite the same as purchasing a conventional car from a dealership. Still, the overall procedure is fairly straightforward.

To understand exactly how customers can buy and use the Topolino, Road & Track spoke with Fiat USA CEO Andrew Waterhouse. For those who never intend to take the little two-seater onto public roads, the process is especially simple: buy a Topolino for $14,985, and your local Fiat dealer will deliver it free of charge to a location within a 50-mile radius. Buyers only need to decide whether they want the standard version or the door-less Dolcevita model, which replaces conventional doors with a pair of stylish ropes.

If you do want to drive a Topolino on public streets, though, the process becomes slightly more involved. The compact EV can qualify for road use under the government’s Low-Speed Vehicle regulations, but only after receiving a few required modifications.

So what exactly counts as a Low-Speed Vehicle? It must be a four-wheeled vehicle capable of travelling at more than 20 miles per hour, but no faster than 25. It also needs headlights, tail-lights, brake lights, turn signals, front and rear reflectors, a DOT-approved windscreen, a parking brake, seatbelts, mirrors, a rear backup camera, an acoustic pedestrian alert system, and a proper VIN. The Topolino already comes with most of that equipment as standard, but it lacks the higher top speed, the backup camera, the pedestrian warning system, and the required regulatory stickers and VIN. That means anyone planning to use a Topolino on the road must specify the Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) conversion kit.

Fortunately, Fiat is providing that kit free of charge for both Topolino and Topolino Dolcevita buyers. Customers will not have to pay for fitting either, because Fiat is reimbursing dealers for the installation labour.

“We are paying for the kit, so we are absorbing that cost; so there's no additional cost to the consumer,” Waterhouse said. “So what we want to do is give the customer one hundred percent flexibility in terms of what they want. Honestly, we wanted to just launch it right.”

The conversion kit includes a new rear-view mirror with a small integrated display. When the Topolino is shifted into reverse, a newly installed camera sends the rearward view to that screen. The pedestrian alert system simply uses an exterior speaker, similar to the ones many people already recognise from EVs moving slowly nearby. By law, that warning sound must remain active up to 19 mph, and it switches off above that speed. After that, the dealer applies the required package of stickers and labels to the vehicle and, crucially, the car is assigned a proper VIN. Finally, once all those changes are completed, Fiat can flash the car’s software to raise the speed limiter from 19 mph to 25 mph.

Once all of those parts are fitted, you could technically drive your Topolino home from the dealership, provided every road on your route has a speed limit of 35 mph or lower. That is the federal maximum posted road speed on which a Low-Speed Vehicle is allowed to operate, making the Topolino especially well suited to cities and smaller communities. As with any other road-going vehicle, however, it still needs to be registered and insured.

It is also important to note that Low-Speed Vehicle laws are not identical in every state. In some places, state rules may impose a lower speed-limit threshold than federal law, so buyers should check local regulations before making a purchase. For instance, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Missouri, and Rhode Island do not permit Low-Speed Vehicles on any public roads at all.

Fiat expects many Topolinos to be used on large private properties or by businesses, as well as in car-free communities such as those found across Florida for retired residents. Even so, there is nothing to prevent someone from using one as everyday local transport in dense urban areas such as NYC or Chicago. Waterhouse says Fiat is beginning cautiously with the number of Topolinos it is sending to the U.S., although that approach could change if demand proves strong enough.

“We're certainly aspirational, but at this point, it's very limited quantity,” Waterhouse tells R&T. “I think the number that has been thrown around is the first shipment was 300 units. We, in some sense, are just kind of dipping our toe in the water, so we don't want to get too aggressive, so we're focused on that at the moment. But certainly over time we would look to grow.”

The number of Fiat dealers that will actually sell the Topolino is also still evolving, but Waterhouse says any Fiat dealer is welcome to participate. Fiat has a dealer finder on its website to help customers locate the nearest Topolino outlet. The company is also taking the vehicle around the country on what it calls the “TopoTour”, visiting neighbourhoods with pop-up activations where a vehicle like this could make practical sense. At those events, people will be able to try the Topolino, ask questions, and begin the purchase process. The next stop is the Hamptons on Long Island in New York — a particularly fitting setting for a stylish vehicle designed for limited-use mobility.

Waterhouse also says that among the early interest Fiat has seen, many customers are focused on Fiat’s customisation partner, Motori & Co. This specialist can transform a Topolino in almost any way visually, while also offering pre-designed themes. Every Topolino leaves Fiat finished in the same Verde Vita exterior colour, so sending one to Motori is an easy way for buyers to make theirs stand out.

“We’re hearing stories of consumers that want a Topolino to match their Ferrari,” Waterhouse says.

That attitude is exactly what suits the playful, tiny Topolino. For anyone who wants one, the first batch will be available soon, and Fiat says early customers will also receive a pair of free colour-matched speakers to play music through.