New Abarth 500e: UK pricing and specs announced

• 153bhp and 164-mile range
• Available in Abarth 500e and Turismo trims as hatchback or cabrio
• Starts from £34,195

Following an announcement that the Abarth 500e Scorpionissima launch model is no longer available due to high demand, UK buyers can now order the 500e in standard and Turismo trims as a hatchback or convertible, starting from £34,195 and £37,195 respectively. 

The Abarth 500e is the performance hot hatch variant of the Fiat 500 electric, and although the electric hot hatchback segment is a small, but developing one, potential rivals for the 500e include the MINI Electric and the upcoming Alpine R5.

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Sharing many of its parts with the regular plug-in 500, the Abarth 500e gets more aggressive styling and upgraded mechanicals which include stiffer, lower sports suspension and a more powerful electric motor. The car is slightly wider than the standard Fiat 500 to improve stability at high speeds and allow the fitment of wider, grippier tyres. 

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2023 Abarth 500e design, interior and trim levels

At the front, the Abarth 500e is stamped with a revised version of Abarth’s Scorpion logo; this is now accompanied by a lightning bolt, indicating the brand’s transition to electric power. Other changes over the regular 500 include larger, kerb-clipping alloy wheels, more aggressive creases in the bumper and a large boot spoiler.

All 1,500 examples of the limited edition Scorpionissima launch trim have been accounted for, so now the Abarth 500e is available to order in standard and Turismo guises. The Abarth 500e gets 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats embossed with scorpion stripes, a seven-inch digital gauge cluster in front of the driver, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with Uconnect software and Abarth’s Performance Pages software to keep track of stats and lap times. 

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Also fitted as standard is an Abarth Sound Generator that mimics the sound of the 695’s combustion engine for added drama, and a premium JBL sound system for your music.

Top-of-the-line Turismo models get larger 18-inch alloys in Titanium Grey, a premium Alcantara interior finish with Acid-Green scorpion motifs, a leather steering wheel, plus heated front seats, heated mirrors and windscreen, wireless phone charging, a rear-view camera, 360-degree parking sensors, keyless entry and go, plus a blind spot warning system. Hatchback Turismo models get a fixed glass panoramic roof.

There are five colour options for the Abarth 500e including Antidote White, Venom Black, Adrenaline Red, Acid Green and Poison Blue.

New Abarth 500e range and powertrains

Peel away the Abarth’s racier bodywork and you’ll find the same 42kWh battery that powers the standard Fiat 500. This is now paired with a more-powerful, front-mounted electric motor producing 152bhp and 235Nm of torque. The 500e will get from 0-62mph in seven seconds; this is slightly faster than the outgoing 595, though Abarth claims the greatest improvement will be felt around town, specifically as the 500e will dash from 25-37mph in 1.5 seconds – one second faster than the petrol car.

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Drivers can choose from one of three driving modes: Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track. Turismo acts as a sort of ‘comfort’ setting and dials back the power from the electric motor to just 134bhp to preserve range. Speaking of range, the 500e can travel 164 miles before needing to be plugged in – this is significantly less than the 199-mile range of the Fiat 500 on which it’s based, though the figure remains in line with other small EVs such as the Honda e.

Scorpion Street turns the power back up to 152bhp, but also utilises regenerative braking to ensure its driving range isn’t hit too hard. Turismo mode also has this feature, with both settings enabling one-pedal driving. Finally, Scorpion Track, as its name suggests, is all about outright performance and disengages the regenerative braking function altogether, although this is likely to have a significant impact on range.

One perceived issue with electric cars is that they don’t offer the same sound and emotion as something with a combustion engine. Abarth seeks to resolve this issue with a sound generator that mimics the rorty exhaust note of an Abarth 695. Of course, this feature can be switched off, meaning pressing the car’s start button will instead cue a strum of an electric guitar.

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While the power output has been increased, the 500e still charges at the same 85kW rate as the standard 500, meaning a 10-80% top-up will take around 35 minutes when connected to a public fast charger. There have been other upgrades, though which come in the form of bigger brakes and lower, stiffer suspension – all in the pursuit of sharper handling.

The Abarth 500e hatchback starts from £34,195 increasing to £38,195 for the Turismo model. Cabrio versions command a slightly higher premium, starting from £37,195 in standard form, and £41,195 in Turismo trim. All versions are available to order now.

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