Electric Abarth 500e: test, range, price and technical specifications

Matthew Solinghi

@
TeoSic58

May 22, 2023

– toy (VC)

It is a complex reasoning that must be done in judging the Abarth 500e, the first electric car from the Scorpion. On the other hand, it is a car that breaks with the past and creates the new Abarth course. First of all, from a rational point of view and observing what is happening to the automotive sector in Europe, with this move the Italian company is moving forward and anticipating the regulations of the near future. The difficulty, then, comes from the emotional side, when one thinks of the glorious past of this brand in the last century and then made a comeback in 2008 with the presentation of the New 500, one of the most popular sports cars still today thanks also to its affordable price. And, therefore, to what Abarth has always represented: smoking exhausts, open bonnets, crazy sound and a lot of passion, especially among young people. Here, with the 500e you forget all this, for obvious engine reasons. So it depends on how you frame it: if for a moment you set aside what Abarth has been in over 70 years of history and perceive it as a project in its own right, you will see a fun, brilliant, aesthetically appealing and improved little electric car – both compared to the Fiat 500e and the endothermic 695 – from different points of view. If, on the other hand, emotional involvement is sought by remembering the past, well in that case expectations could be disappointed. And then the price: it is true that with an access price list of 37,950 euros it costs even less than the Fiat 500e La Prima. But not far from this figure are electric cars in higher segments with far greater autonomy and even more exciting performance.

Abarth 500e: how it is made, the design

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The aggressive look of the Abarth 500e is underlined by a gritty front end which is characterized by the elimination of a component for the luminous signature, the large Abarth writing in the central area, the classic Abarth logo on the bonnet and an elaborate bumper with the presence, at the extremes, of two elements that recall the claws of the scorpion. At the rear, however, a specific diffuser with some trapezoidal elements makes its appearance. Laterally they stand out the Abarth logo crossed by a lightning bolt, to underline the entry into the age of electrification. The rims are 17 or 18” (the latter standard for the limited edition of 1949 Scorpionissimo and for the Turismo). The aerodynamic coefficient is 0.32, with the shape of the car maintaining the rounded lines that have always characterized the 500.

Abarth 500e: how it is made, the interior

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Three doors and four seats, as per Abarth tradition. Rear livability is what it is: after all, with 367 cm of car you can’t work miracles. Up front, however, there is much more space for the driver, passenger and any items to be transported. The platform made available by the Fiat 500e helps from this point of view. And here we have the maximum expression of what the Abarth technicians have managed to extract from the small utility vehicle, giving it a more premium and at the same time sporty look, without resulting in racing. The choice of materials is spot on, with the use of Alcantara for the seats and taken up in the side areas of the steering wheel, where the hands are held. The seat is certainly more comfortable compared to that of the endothermic, with the seats that are devoid of the rigid part behind despite having a sporty appearance. Well finished and with contrasting stitching, they go wonderfully with the steering wheel which, in shape, recalls the claws of a scorpion. It is also embellished with the contrasting zero point. The infotainment is digital, with the central 10.3” horizontal screen and dashboard providing all the necessary information, including some performance parameters. The menu is not very simple and super intuitive digital cockpitmanageable via the arrows on the steering wheel controlled by the thumb of the left hand.

Abarth 500e: how it’s made, the technique

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Wheelbase extended by 24 mm, track widened by 60 mm, 40 kg more than the electric 500, weight distribution 57-43%, chassis optimized for sporty driving and stiffer suspension springs compared to those of the Fiat 500e. From a technical point of view, these are the elements on which the Abarth technicians worked. Added to this is the electric motor: it is the same one that equips the sister Fiat, with a 42 kWh battery, but here it is increased to 155 HP of maximum power and 235 Nm of torque. The increase of 37 HP allows accelerations from 0 to 100 km/h in 7 seconds flat (but only if the battery has a state of charge greater than or equal to 90%) while the maximum speed is limited to 155 km/h, actually a little an Abarth if we think that, to date, several 595 and 695 owners don’t disdain days on the track at all. Unlike the Fiat 500e, the Abarth also features disc brakes at the rear. The declared range is 265 km, but it always depends on how you use it: if you get involved in theAbarth Sound Generator and continue to accelerate in Scorpion Track mode, it will be difficult to get that mileage reference with a full charge. By the way: the car accepts direct current charging up to 85 kW, alternating current up to 11 kW. The battery, almost 300 kg, contributes significantly to the weight of the car: 1,290 kg.

Abarth 500e: comparison on the track with the 695

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The first contact with the Abarth 500e is actually a direct confrontation. The boys from Scorpione are providing a slew of 695 endothermics with 180 HP 1.4 T-Jet engines with which to enter, first, the mixed Alfa at the Balocco test centre. Here is the Abarth we know: a compact sports car with a melodic rumble and whose 5-speed manual gearbox enhances driving pleasure and involvement behind the wheel. Even with the limitations of the case: high seat and center of gravity as well, with consequent limits for the frame. I change the car and get on the 500e: even before approaching the track, the greater comfort of the seats and the better grip of the steering wheel emerge, as well as an improved, albeit still rather high seat. Then, once on the track, other aspects emerge: with the electric one is faster, in sensation, when entering and cornering, with a more stable and balanced set-up, probably thanks to the location of the battery, with the 295 kg at floor level. Restarting from the slow bends, the 500e sprints away and gains a lead on the 695, except then – always on sensations – to be recovered once the 100 km/h has passed, that is to say when the electric effect tends to vanish and the endothermic is in the full of its delivery between third and fourth gear. At the end of the main straight you reach the same speed, which also corresponds to the top speed of the 500e: 155 km/h, actually a bit low for an Abarth. The extra weight is not negligible (about 200 kg against the EV) but a better weight distribution means that the center of gravity of the electric turns out to be lower. Hence the perception of better corner entry and more direct routes. For sporty driving, the steering is not excellent, light in some situations and not as direct as one would expect.

Abarth 500e: how it goes on the road

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Once the activity on the track is over, we head towards the Biella area in search of some bends on the road. Here the dual soul of the 500e emerges, a car that tends towards the compact sports car but certainly nothing extreme more comfortable than the 695 on potholes, cobblestones and bumps that can be encountered on any Italian road surface. It is a good compromise between the pursuit of sportiness and livability, which the 695 perhaps lacked a little. The newcomer has a menu of digital cockpit a bit intricate, so much so that it is a little difficult to understand where and how to activate the Abarth Sound Generator. Once activated, the roar of Record Monza exhausts it is reproduced more or less faithfully inside and outside the cockpit. In sports use or in conditions of continuous restarts it can also be pleasant. From this point of view, the effort of the Abarth technicians in giving a voice to a car which, in reality, does not have a voice, as it is electric, is commendable. And we return to the question of how it is framed: if seen as a natural continuation of the 695, the real tailpipes are longed for. If it is perceived as a parallel work to the 695, as a new project detached from what Abarth has been from 1949 to today, then the sound is pleasant.

Abarth 500e: how it goes, driving dynamics

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Among the curves of the Biella area, the Abarth 500e lays bare: thanks to the lower center of gravity, the wider track and the increased wheelbase, the first EV of the Scorpion has better driveability and ease of driving than the 695. More balanced, safer, faster. Where the 500e loses out is in the driving involvement: the absence of the gearbox, the reproduced sound, the more comfortable and less extreme seat make it a car closer to all the others, with less soul than the Scorpio endotherms currently in the price list. If on the other hand – and we return, for the third and last time, to the question of how it is perceived – it is interpreted as a new electric proposal, well it has a lot to say and has more character than many other EVs.

• Interior: the steering wheel is beautiful to look at and to grip, with Alcantara on the sides and contrasting zero point. It also has the silhouettes of the scorpion, a nice reference to the brand. The seats are sporty but not extreme, they also guarantee a good dose of comfort compared to those of the endothermic 695. The materials used are pleasant to the eye and to the touch
• Comfort: even in Scorpion Track mode, the car’s set-up is not excessively stiff
• Efficacy: in the Alfa-Balocco mix it is slightly more effective than the endothermic 695 thanks to the promptness of the electric motor (which, however, does not stretch much) and the absence of gear changes. Furthermore, it is possible to bring a pinch of speed more when braking and when cornering

• Soul: driving involvement is significantly lower than that of the 695 endothermic
• Power: only 155 HP available, because the engine and battery are the same as those of the electric Fiat 500. It is also less powerful than both the 695 and the 595. It’s not a question of power per se, but of distinction