The new Abarth 500e is the first all-electric version of the pint-sized sporty city car. Derived from the acclaimed Fiat 500e, the new Abarth 500e offers more performance, bolder styling and a more premium interior, including the use of high-end materials and trims.
The Abarth 500e will be released in June 2023, initially as a special Scorpionissima launch edition. This will cost from around £35,000 and be limited to 1,949 cars – reflecting the year Abarth was established. Later models will be more affordable, taking the 500e closer to the £29,000 starting price of its key rival: the MINI Electric. The new 500e is a distinctive-looking small electric car, much more muscular than the Fiat 500 electric version. It has a wider track and a longer wheelbase, which is emphasised by more aggressive front and rear bumpers, along with sculpted side sills. The front bumper is smooth and closed-off, and now features bold Abarth lettering in dark titanium grey. The same Abarth lettering is writ large across the tailgate, while the new 500e wears a fresh take on the Scorpion logo – this time with a lightning bolt zapping its body. The logo at the front now adorns the bonnet, plus there are additional logos on the rear side panels. The new Abarth 500e Scorpionissima features bespoke Abarth lettering. The Abarth 500e has a white air dam that is inset into the front bumper, while the rear diffuser also has white detailing. With dark titanium grey door mirrors, chunky alloy wheels and disc brakes front and rear, it certainly looks the part. The Scorpionissima is available in special Poison Blue paint – or the vivid Acid Green seen here. Inside, the new Abarth 500e boasts plentiful use of sporty Alcantara trim, including on the dashboard, seats and steering wheel. There is a 7.0-inch driver display and high-spec 10.25-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus Uconnect over-the-air updates. The Abarth Performance Pages add an enthusiast touch, too – they allow those buying or leasing a new Abarth 500e to monitor a whole host of performance and driving parameters, just like on cars such as the Nissan GT-R. The new Abarth 500e produces 155PS, a significant uplift versus the Fiat 500e. This is sufficient for 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds, while accelerating from 25-37mph takes just 1.5 seconds. The motor is more responsive as well, helping the new Abarth 500e lap the company’s test track more than a second faster than the 180PS petrol-engined Abarth 695. The Abarth’s 42kWh battery is the same as the Fiat 500e. There are not any range figures published yet, but we estimate it will cover around 185 miles between charges. Pleasingly, 85kW rapid charging tech is standard, which adds enough charge to drive 25 miles in less than five minutes – and charge the car from 0-80 percent capacity in just 35 minutes. Novel tech on the new Abarth 500e includes a sound generator. This can replicate the noise of a petrol-powered Abarth, or generate unusual ‘strumming guitar’ sound effects, which vary according to the speed you are driving. You can, if you prefer, choose to drive the new Abarth 500e in the silence familiar to drivers of other electric cars.
