Abarth unveils new all electric 500 duo

04 May 2023

Abarth unveiled its first all-electric 500e back in November last year. It was a momentous event for the little company with as much tradition and pedigree as any other Italian supercar manufacturer. The vehicle unveiled was the 500e Scorpionissima - top of the range with 18” alloy wheels, full-length glass roof for a non-cabrio version, all bells-and-whistles ADAS, and enough Alcantara to cover up the leaning tower of Pisa.

The Scorpionissima was available in a limited (1949 units) supply and initially only to members of the Abarth community. We are not sure if that happened though since there was no information available and the Abarth website never offered any options to order the actual car.

Presuming the Scorpionissima is already sold out, Abarth is adding two new models to its electric lineup. They are Abarth 500e and Abarth 500e Turismo. All the cars - at least for now - share the same 155 hp electric motor and the same 42 kWh battery pack. That means 0 to 100 km/h in 7 seconds, and despite extra heft, fun driving experience thanks to the wider and lower stance.

The new Abarth 500e is positioned as the entry-level model. The 17” alloy wheels with a unique design are meant to differentiate the car from its siblings. The interior is kept in dark colors, with the sports seats getting the Scorpion stripes embossed into the fabric. A big 10.25” infotainment screen sits in the middle of the dashboard with the 7” digital instrument cluster hiding behind the steering wheel.

The Abarth 500e Turismo on the other hand, takes the top seat in the range. 18” diamond cut alloy wheels finished in titanium gray are discreet and yet stand out at the same time - a rare feat. The Interior gets wrapped up in Alcantara with pretty much every surface finished in this fabulous fabric. The acid-Green Scorpion logo gets lasered onto the headrests of the sports seats for a complete Abarth style.

The bit that 500e is missing out on is the Abarth Sound Generator - the jury is still out on this one so we’re not sure if it is missing it or benefiting from not having it. The 500e Turismo has it in standard so both the driver and passersby can “enjoy” the classic Abarth raspy growl.

The 500e comes as well with the JBL Premium Audio setup and it is important enough for JBL to have its own press release about it. There are 7 speakers in total, an 8-channel 320 W amplifier controls the setup and the whole thing comes with a multitude of settings. The clever bit about it though, is that every passenger, regardless of their position, speed of car, and level of noise, is getting the 360-degree experience. Each listener is perfectly positioned in the middle of the sound stage for a truly immersive experience.

The sound system was tuned by HARMAN engineers to perfection and it has all the hallmarks of a really interesting setup. The Abarth 500e lineup is now complete - with each model available either in hatchback or cabrio version, each customer will have enough options to choose from.

Sure, the 265 km claimed range is not enough for a cross-country road trip but it is enough for a spirited run down some twisty country lanes, with the top down and only music for a company - this sounds like a dream come true for many Abarth customers. All we need now is the price - all dreams have a price.

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