The appearance of the Abarth 500e, also a protagonist in Gamesweek and Cartoomics in 2022, immediately makes it clear who is targeting the Scorpion brand that is part of the Stellantis galaxy. The old 500 Abarth, recently dismissed in 595 and 695 petrol versions, was a car that brought together grandparents, parents, millennials and part of Generation Z. With the electric version we reach the breaking point son A quantum leap in progress: transition to electricity.
Bye carburetor, bye “snarling” sound, bye vibrations. Will Abarth be able to survive the electric revolution?
how it was made
With the Abarth 500e We started with the Fiat 500e, a small electric car that has proven to be the best among the small electric cars of the Franco-Italian group in terms of road tests and sales. The only one that remains an icon with its timeless and modern lines. The only company then to have a dedicated platform: other Stellantis electric machines share the French platform of the former PSA group.
Aesthetically we are here: sporty bumpers by tradition, front expressive aggressiveness, precision alloy wheels (here 17 “or 18”), side skirts typical of the world of tuning and a rear diffuser.
inside? Also passed the test in the passenger compartment: sports seats, Discovery brand cues, double stitching, and a more refined steering wheel. Then what’s commonly used now in modern cars, especially electrics: a large infotainment screen, here’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen, and a 7-inch digital instrument panel with specific performance-tracking graphics. Where before we saw horsepower, pressure and oil temperature, today we see kilowatts.
The voice of the future. Love it or hate it
Abarth means sensations, it’s been like this for a lifetime. But how can all this be replicated in the electric age? That’s it Sound generator comesStrange name for artificial generator of the sounds used by the loudspeakers Repeat the roar of Abarth With the petrol engine singing through the amplified Record Monza exhaust.
He works? Yes, it responds well to the car’s speed changes, even if the lack of a gearbox makes it impossible to repeat that chain of crescendos interrupted by downshifting. It clearly lacks the depth that only a real exhaust can give, but if it is Participate in video games You’re looking for it (which is what I’m used to), you won’t be disappointed.
And what about performance?
The Abarth 500e is actually shinier than the petrol version You have to put it in context For some scenarios, eg a 20-40 km/h shot that burns in one second less than an endothermic. This is thanks to the instantaneous electric torque that makes it more fun and responsive in everyday driving. In short, in terms of pure performance it does not outperform its petrol rival, but in everyday life it suffers less from the disadvantages of an internal combustion engine that requires you to change gear and has less torque.
to feed him there A 42 kWh battery promises 265 km of autonomy with a full charge of electrons and can be recharged up to a maximum of 85 kW at direct current (35 minutes to reach 80%). Here, perhaps, is the main limitation of the Abarth 500e, a car that certainly doesn’t have a low price tag, but it does offer DC charging that doesn’t quite match the latest product innovations launched this year, especially in a period. 100/150 kW is now considered the basis for fast charging.
However, the same is true, with a comprehensive battery, 85 kWh allows you to always have the same performance in terms of maximum downtime (35 minutes to reach 80%) and reduce thermal stress, forcing the air conditioning system of the batteries to work less.
Road and track testing
However, how are you going? Firstly There are three ways: Turismo is the most flexible and powerful yet gentle and dedicated to efficiency. Scorpio Street is the street that energizes single-pedal driving. The scorpion track, on the other hand, deactivates the “single pedal drive” and unleashes the electric motor.
The city and beyond, especially the narrow mix and hills-I’m the owner natural habitat. Here you’ll appreciate instant torque, thrilling performance and an all-around exhilaration that feels so natural, thanks to the lack of gears and torque holes. Yet it’s never brutal, even in the most extreme of ways, never sticking us to the seat.
At the same time, it is very stable and grounded by the low center of gravity of the battery. The wheels follow steering inputs well and the wider track adds to the fun of cornering. In daily use, it is undoubtedly easy to drive and suitable for everyone. However, the extra weight on the track makes it more difficult on fast load hauls as more experience is required to handle it in extreme maneuvers.
Consumption is very close to the advertised 17 kWh / 100 km: with daily traffic driving, the stock computer shows data between 16.8 and 17.6 kWh / 100 km, which is equivalent to Real range is about 250 km With recharging that can be done on AC at a maximum of 11 kW. By pushing it through the hills, you can even hit 20/21 kWh/100 km, while for the highway we’d wait for a longer summarizing test.
how much does it cost
Abarth 500e part From 37,950 euros for the exhibition of the same name. Here we have 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, automatic climate control, digital instrumentation, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment with navigator, LED taillights, a height-adjustable steering wheel, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Abarth 500e Turismo It is instead the other version available, the top of the range version From €42,650 With more refined interiors, 18-inch alloy wheels diamond embossed instrument panel, Sports seats With built-in headrest And an exclusive sound generator for this setup. Other standard accessories? Heated front seats, wireless smartphone charging, a rearview camera, and blind spot monitoring.
New Abarth for a new audience
Summing up, the Abart 500e is a particular animal, new scorpionbut not in order to preclude this. Daughter of the Changing Age, the electric sports car will not be able to do endurance races and will probably have to limit itself in timed climbs due to peak power which can never be constant for long like the petrol version. However, she will be able to give her chosen ones, born in a different era, similar satisfaction and sensations.
A clear generational struggle, the struggle of those who have a few years behind them and argue that young people no longer have friends to be with forged Scooters, being mistaken for friends they have. Just because the meeting is no longer physical, it takes place in chat or “in the gameAnd we’re no longer working on carburetors and exhausts, but we’re discussing tricks in video games and mods in virtual reality with the same passion as those a few years behind Polinis.
right? mistake? Everyone has their opinion, but we can certainly all agree, it is Different. And, perhaps, in the era when the Abarth 500e has Alexa and the app to manage it remotely via smartphone, that’s right …
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