Overview

Abarth & C was founded 75 years ago and very quickly made a name for itself, arguably transforming the sports car world. The vehicles are renowned for being powerful, but also small and mean just like a scorpion – the brand’s logo. Today the tuner has turned its hand to electric – with its Abarth 500e. Now, I know what you’re all thinking… How can a lightweight car with traditionally turbocharged power and the unmistakable road presence of an Akrapovik exhaust translate itself to electric? Well, there’s only one way to find out – and that’s to live with one for a week, including a visit to Goodwood’s historical motor circuit.

Driving

It seems highly paradoxical that Abarth would be fitting an electric motor in one of their cars but that’s exactly what they’ve done and it’s based on the Fiat 500 electric. Why? Well, the car maker cites ‘performance’, because every change of the line-up is all about getting the best in this respect – it’s how founder, Carlo Abarth, always shaped everything he did. So from that point of view, Olivier Francois, FIAT & Abarth Chief Executive Officer and Global Chief Marketing Officer of Stellantis, has said, “nothing has changed: better acceleration, better handling, more fun. And then there’s Abarth’s legendary signature: its sound”.

We’ll get back to that second point in a bit, but first I want to talk about what it’s like behind the wheel. So, it’s based on the Fiat 500’s electric architecture but the two cars couldn’t be further apart, as Abarth has increased the torque of the electric motor, made the wheelbase wider, improved weight distribution, fitted stronger rear brakes, plus stiffer springs and retuned dampers, and added weight to the steering. 

Together, all of these tweaks have turned a car with adequate handling into something a lot more playful and capable. With more stability and better road holding and balance between the axles, the Abarth 500e is quicker to respond with improved corner entry and higher exit speed. When we took it on track at Goodwood it was amazingly good fun… But be warned if you do have one and want to track it you need to check the noise limits as our test car read over 102dB.

The steering is light but accurate and thankfully exudes more confidence than it does in both the Fiat 500 and 600e. Its firm under foot but the ride isn’t crashy nor is it too uncomfortable. In fact, it can be quite civilised. And they’ve even got the brakes right – with a good level of feel and transition between regen and hydraulics.

There are three drive modes: Turismo which releases 136bhp and 162lb ft of torque for smoother acceleration and better efficiency, Scorpion Track and Scorpion Street – which give you the full 152bhp and 173lb ft of torque enabling a zero to 62mph time of 7 seconds flat. It would be nice if this car had a little more power – and if it was all-wheel-drive to better get the power down, but being electric the instant, no lag response of the electric motor makes up for it. The Scorpion Street and Turismo mode maximises regenerative braking, allowing one-pedal driving, while Scorpion Track turns the regen off allowing you to control braking yourself.

Back to that exhaust noise – something which has always been important for Abarth, and the very reason the car is equipped with a Sound Generator, which plays a synthesised version of a 595’s petrol engine. I quite like it (although it can get irritating on the motorway) – my only complaint is how difficult it is to turn on. There’s no button on the dash or steering wheel like you’d think, instead you have to go through the menus, click on vehicle set-up, go to display and then to electric features, and finally to external sound. And you can’t do it while the vehicle is moving. It’s so counterintuitive – you’d think having poured more than 6000 hours into tuning the sound they’d make it more accessible. The sound is also piped through a waterproof, mudproof speaker under the back of the car – so pisses off every passing pedestrian! I kind of get why they’ve gone down this route but I can’t for the life of me think why each time the car is turned on or off, there’s a cringe-worthy guitar riff in the cabin. And it does it again the first time you exceed 12mph, to reflect the “transgressive and unconventional soul which is inherent in the genre and in the Scorpion‘s cars”. Utter nonsense.

Range and running costs

When weight and size are of such importance you have to be wise with your choice of powertrain, so it’s probably why Abarth has used a 42kWh lithium-ion battery. The official quoted range is 164 – that’s for the one with 17s however – take off seven miles if you’ve got 18s. And, of course, in real life, you’re looking at around 135. But this car isn’t designed for long distance touring. It is a bit of fun – a car according to Abarth that will “appeal to traditional petrolheads, well-heeled city types and”, erm, “gamers”. And with prices starting from £31,195 for the 500e including the £3000 Abarth e-Grant saving if you order a vehicle before the end of this year we don’t think that’s too bad. The TURISMO is four grand more. If you want a convertible, add on another three.

And unlike its gas guzzling siblings it’s easier and cheaper to maintain – and ‘fuel’, especially if you can charge at home or work. The average price (calculated from Zapmap usage data) to charge an electric car on the public charging network in June 2024 was 57p/kWh on slow/fast chargers (50kW) and 80p/kWh for rapid/ultra-rapid chargers, which equates to 17 pence per mile and 24 pence per mile respectively. To minimise its charging time, the Abarth 500e is equipped with the 85kW fast-charging system, meaning it takes 35 minutes to reach up to 80 per cent of the range, which isn’t great to be honest. Note you have to pay £200 for a Mode 2 charging cable – why manufacturers don’t bung these in I’ll never know. It’s like charging for a fuel filler neck opening in an ICE car in my opinion.

Design

If it’s head-turning looks you want from a car – this is the one to have! From the cool white front DAM and sporty front and rear bumpers and side skirts, to the rear diffuser inserts, exclusive alloy wheels and the Titanium Grey mirror caps. We loved the mental Acid Green colour of our text car and how the iconic arachnids are getting zapped with electricity! It’s also a car that seems to attract all ages – from toddlers to OAPs. I got stopped a lot during my time with this car, and it’s gained significant attention from jurors too, nominated as finalist at the 2024 World Car Awards, and granted Best New Small Car 2024 title by The Car Expert.

Inside you’ve got bolstered seats, and a three spoke sporty wheel and pedal covers. The 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system works well enough, the racey 7 inch digital instrument cluster is neat giving all the information one needs and JBL stereo decent. I love all of the black leather and Alcantara punctuated with Acid Green and Poison Blue accents, so much so I colour-coded my own nails! It’s notably sportier and more premium in terms of materials compared to the Fiat 500e.

Comfort and practicality

The Abarth 500e isn’t the most comfortable car thanks to the stiff suspension, nor is it the most practical but that won’t be the reason why you’re buying one. While my kids were able to sit in the back there are no rear doors, making it tricky to get child seats in, and anyone over the age of 18 would struggle to fit and get comfortable.

Boot space is also minimal at 185 litres, and there’s no frunk. Front storage space consists of a large tray halfway up the dashboard, which is where you'll find the wireless charging pad in the Turismo models. There’s also a long, thin cubby between the front seats (lidded on aforementioned range-topping version) with an integrated cupholder but it sits really low so hard to use while driving, and door pockets – although they are quite small.

The entry level version has enough equipment to keep the average driver happy, such as cruise control, drowsy driver detection, traffic sign recognitions, autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, automatic climate control, rain and dusk sensors, rear parking sensors with camera, LEDs and keyless go, and that’s about it, but with a car like this who cares? It’s all about the driving. The TURSIMO adds a few more comfort, safety and audio/tech features as expected for the extra money.

Verdict

Abarth has always been synonymous with performance, thrill and attitude, and this car is no different. It could do with more performance – it is around a second slower to 62mph than the Abarth 695, although it’s a second quicker from 12-25mph and from 25-37mph, plus it would benefit enormously from all-wheel drive. The new electric MINI Cooper is arguably the better car all round, and you may want to consider the Cupra Born, MG4 EV XPower, and the Brabus version of the Smart #1, but the Abarth is definitely more fun to look at and more likely to put a smile on your face every time you drive it. Check out our video review of it here.

Key Specs

Abarth 500e Turismo 

Price (RRP OTR): From £34,195 (without Abarth e grant)
Top speed: 96mph
0-62mph: 7 seconds
Power: 152bhp (113.7kW)
Torque: 173lb-ft
Driving range: 164
Charging time: 35 minutes (85DC fast charging, 0-80%)
Insurance group: 23
Vehicle warranty: 3 years / unlimited mileage
Battery warranty: 8 years / 99,419 miles