Italy Seizes 130 Fiat Topolino EVs Over Italian Flag Emblem Misuse

In a surprising move, Italian authorities have seized 130 units of the Fiat Topolino electric vehicle (EV) at a port in Tuscany. The reason? A tiny emblem on the car that looks like the Italian flag. Although Fiat is Italy’s largest car manufacturer, the Topolino is produced in Morocco, not Italy. This has caused a stir because of Italy’s strict laws on product authenticity.

Italy has a law from 2003 that prohibits companies from using branding that might mislead consumers into thinking a product is made in Italy when it’s not. The small Italian flag emblem on the Topolino was seen as misleading, which led to the cars being held at the port. The authorities argued that the emblem too closely resembled Italy’s tricolor flag, making the cars illegal to sell under current regulations.

A spokesperson from Stellantis, Fiat’s parent company, clarified that the emblem indicated the car’s Italian brand origin, not its place of manufacture. Fiat has agreed to remove the emblems from the seized vehicles to resolve the issue, pending approval from the authorities.

This isn’t the first time Italy has enforced its authenticity laws on the automotive industry. Alfa Romeo, another brand under Stellantis, had to rename its Milano model to Junior after it faced similar issues because the car was built in Poland, not Milan.

Whether Fiat will stop using the emblem on all Topolino models worldwide or just in Italy remains uncertain. Regardless, this incident sends a strong message: Italy is serious about protecting the authenticity of its national brands.