√2023 Abarth 500e electric hot hatch revealed, due in Australia next year

Fiat’s performance sub-brand Abarth has revealed its first electric car, with sporty looks and a seven-second 0-100km/h acceleration time.

The 2023 Abarth 500e has been revealed, as the first electric car from Fiat’s Abarth performance division – ahead of its Australian launch in late 2023.

Unveiled after a string of leaked photos and teasers, the 500e is the high-performance version of Fiat’s new 500 electric car – and will replace Abarth’s petrol-powered 595 and 695 range, once they are phased out across the next two years.

The Abarth 500e – available in hatchback and cabriolet forms in Europe – is due in Australian showrooms in late 2023, expected shortly after the Fiat 500e arrives closer to the middle of the year.

Powering the electric Abarth is a 114kW/235Nm electric motor on the front axle and a 42kWh battery pack, good for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.0 seconds.

Those figures compare to a 6.7-second acceleration time for the petrol-powered Abarth 695 flagship, which uses a 132kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

While the 500e is less powerful and slower across the benchmark sprint than its petrol predecessor, Abarth claims it is one second faster from 20 to 40km/h, and from 40 to 60km/h – a difference of about 40 to 50 per cent.

The electric Abarth is also claimed to be one second faster than the petrol 695 around sister brand Alfa Romeo’s handling circuit in Balocco, Italy.

Abarth doesn’t quote driving range, however the hot hatch’s more powerful electric motor and performance-oriented tyres mean it may not match the standard Fiat 500e’s 320km claim – achieved on the European WLTP test cycle.

DC fast charging at up to 85kW is available, said to be capable of adding 40km of lab-tested driving range in five minutes, or a zero to 80 per cent charge in 35 minutes.

Three drive modes are available: Turismo (which cuts outputs to 100kW/220Nm for “smoother acceleration and lower power”), Scorpion Street (which activates maximum power, but keeps one-pedal driving mode on), and Scorpion Track (for “top performance”).

In place of a petrol engine, the Abarth 500e is fitted with a ‘sound generator’ claimed to “faithfully [reproduce] the sound of an Abarth petrol engine” – while the sound played when the car is switched on or off is said to simulate a guitar strum.

The electric Abarth’s styling is a sportier evolution of the standard Fiat 500e, with a new front bumper with body-coloured honeycomb inserts, new side skirts, 18-inch alloy wheels, larger brake discs, new rear bumper, and Abarth badging.

The Scorpionissima launch edition offers Acid Green or Poison Blue exterior paint options, plus Abarth side graphics, diamond-cut 18-inch alloys, and on the hatchback, a fixed glass roof and rear privacy glass.

Inside, highlights in the launch edition include front sports seats with Alcantara upholstery, an Alcantara-trimmed dashboard, leather and Alcantara steering wheel, contrast stitching throughout

It also offers a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Performance Pages for key driving metrics, a 7.0-inch instrument display with Abarth graphics, steel sports pedals, engraved Abarth sill plates, and grey accents.

Standard features on the Scorpionissima include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated manually-adjustable seats, keyless entry and start, auto climate control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, wireless phone charger, a 360-degree camera, and a JBL premium sound system.

There are also six airbags, and a suite of advanced safety technology, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and cruise control (non adaptive).

The 2023 Abarth 500e is due in Australia late next year. Pricing and local specifications will be confirmed closer to launch.

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