Launched in Italy, new Topolino boosts searches for Fiat 500 in Brazil's large retail trade in May

Survey conducted by startup Simplex also highlights high demand for chocolates and travel 

São Paulo, May 2023. Unveiled in Italy, Fiat's new doorless electric minicar, dubbed Topolino in Europe, hasn't even arrived in Brazil yet but is already stirring up the automotive market. The brand's novelty, openly inspired by the first generation of the Fiat 500 from the 1930s, has boosted Brazilian demand on the Internet for the electric Cinquecento, which has been on sale in the country since 2021. This is according to the May edition of Radar Simplex, a survey created by the Franco-Brazilian startup Simplex, which monitors consumer searches on Brazil's largest e-commerce sites and captures trends through an artificial intelligence platform. The electrified version of the Cinquecento, which belongs to the new generation of the brand's iconic range, came second in the top ten most desired items last month, up 1,750% on April. 

The growth comes in the wake of a global trend towards the electrification of land transportation. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the sale of electric vehicles in 2023 is expected to reach the mark of almost one in five cars sold worldwide. In Brazil, the technology is gradually gaining strength, amid discussions on tax incentives for electric vehicles. 

"The announcement of a new electric model abroad has mobilized our market and shows that Brazilians are increasingly informed about this trend. It reflects the increased consumer interest in new technologies and more sustainable mobility," says João Lee, CEO of Simplex, a pioneer in the technological approach of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to increase qualified online traffic, conversion and sales on the Internet. 

Mother's Day and the vacation season also drove retailers 

At the top of the Simplex Radar ranking, the search champion was "chocolate", showing growth of 1,810% compared to April, the month of Easter. According to João, the evolution may be the result of the race for gifts for Mother's Day. 

With an eye on June/July vacations and holidays, consumers are also already securing their destination. In third place, the term "travel" appears with an increase of 1,027% in the volume of clicks compared to April. 

Check below the complete ranking with the ten items that most aroused the interest of Brazilians in May and their respective growth compared to April:

1 - Chocolate (+1.810%)

2 - Fiat 500 (+1,750%)

3 - Travel (+1.027%)

4 - PC (+675%)

5 - Whey (+455%)

6 - Smartphone (+447%)

7 - SSD (+397%)

8 - TV (+396%)

9 - Frost free refrigerator (+355%)

10 - Baby stroller (+352%)