'autoette' is formed from the combining form 'auto-' (from Greek 'autos' meaning 'self') plus the French diminutive suffix '-ette' meaning 'small' or 'little'.

'autoette' was coined in English in the early 20th century by combining 'auto-' (short for automobile) with the diminutive '-ette' to denote a small or lightweight car; the term was used sporadically and sometimes applied to small electric or three-wheeled vehicles in the mid-1900s.

Initially it meant 'a small or diminutive automobile'; over time the sense has stayed similar but sometimes shifted to specifically denote small electric vehicles or particular compact models/brands.