The Abarth 500e is Italian, small and elegant and runs entirely on electricity.

The first thing that turns me off when I pick up the Abarth 500e at Strada Motors at the curb in Stockholm and actually ask the staff to turn it off is the artificial sound they put on when driving. When I was at the presentation of the Abarth 500e earlier this year, I was told that the engineers had spent 6,000 hours creating this artificial sound. Of course, Abarth has been known for its sound, but spending 6,000 hours on an artificial sound is, for me, completely unbelievable and incomprehensible.

Having said that, I certainly don't want to say that the Abarth 500e is bad or for that matter boring. Because the Abarth 500e is not, quite the opposite! Thanks to its size and sportiness, the Abarth 500e really feels and is absolutely perfect for energetic and vibrant city driving.

Fiat released the prototype for the Abarth 500e, namely the 500e 2020, and then it received a much appreciated and warm reception. Even the gasoline model of the Abarth 500e, namely the Fiat 500 Abarth, was incredibly appreciated, so when the Abarth 500e was released, the surprises were sky high.

Abarth was from the beginning an independent company that mainly took care of the tuning of Fiat models. The sportiest Fiat models were adorned with a scorpion emblem that showed it was an Abarth. As an Abarth version, you of course get a much sportier version of the Fiat model you chose. No exception with the Abarth 500e, the 0-100 sprint is completed in 7 seconds instead of 9 with a Fiat 500e. This is thanks to the fact that the Abarth 500e has 155 horsepower instead of 118 that the Fiat 500e has. In addition, they have been kind enough to provide the Abarth 500e with larger brakes than the 500e in order to safely stop the crew.

To make the Abarth 500e as sporty as possible, the seats and parts of the interior have been covered in alcantara. The headrests are adorned with the embroidered Absrth scorpion logo. The Abarth scorpion logo also adorns the exterior of the car behind the doors on each side. Also in the middle of the wheels. If you have an attentive eye, you can note details here and there on the car. Like, for example, the small Fiat 500 car down in the handle on the inside of the door. Cute!

In terms of driving, the Abarth 500e really is exactly what it claims to be. A sporty and energetic little electric car with Italian roots. Absolutely perfect for the active and vibrant city. With the Abarth 500e, you always arrive and on time, unless of course it's completely stopped.

The Abarth 500e will be offered in two equipment levels. An entry-level version for SEK 489,900 that rolls on 17-inch rims. And then a top model for SEK 40,000 extra with 18-inch rims, glass roof and a better sound system and "the sound generator". As previously mentioned, it is precisely the artificial sound that I asked them to turn off immediately when I picked up the Abarth 500e. A sound that to me is more disturbing than harmonious. But the taste is like the back and shared. So there are certainly people who will be amused and enjoy the sound that the technology has obviously spent 6,000 hours on.

Abarth 500e

Basic price SEK 489,900
Motor Electric motor
Power transmission 155 hp, 610 Nm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h in 7 seconds
Top speed 155 km/h
Range 265 km
Weight 1,410 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height) 3673/1683/1518 mm