Say hello to…
Say hello to…
…the Abarth 500e, is, like all Abarths, the hot hatch version of the equivalent Fiat. Like the Fiat 500e city car, the Abarth has a 42kWh battery with a useable capacity of 38.8kWh and the dimensions are broadly similar. However, the Abarth 500e has a more powerful motor producing 154hp plus more torque or shove, and as a consequence the range is lower at 150 miles. The suspension is uprated to deal with faster driving and deliver more driver involvement. The interior and exterior are also uprated to fit the sporty nature of Abarth.
The 500e is available as a regular hatch or as a soft top convertible. Two trim levels are available:
Standard
Turismo
Equipment included in the standard model includes a sound generator, 17-inch alloys, 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with satnav, DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus rear parking sensor, climate control, keyless go, drive modes and cruise control.
Turismo adds 18-inch alloys, Alcantara upholstery, surround view camera, keyless entry, heated seats, blind spot detection and wireless phone charging.
Is The Abarth 500e Suitable For My Fleet
Hot hatches and city cars are not really your typical company car fodder, however, the popularity of electric motoring both as a traditional company car and through salary sacrifice schemes has turned this on its head.
With many more ‘typical’ electric company cars offering far greater performance, the 500e shouldn’t offer any insurance trouble. Plus, its diminutive size (and weight) means that it is more efficient that many other larger EVs. We recorded a figure of 3.8 miles per kWh which is good in anyone’s books. The only downside is that with a 37.8kWh battery the real-world range is 145 miles.
Leasing An Abarth 500e
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the the Abarth 500e convertible in Turismo trim for £684 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year which is a little steep for such a diminutive car. On the upside, running cost are forecast at £31 a month, according to Gensen Reports, and the Class 1A NIC comes in at £11 a month.
Driving An Abarth 500e
With the 500e, Abarth offers something that is rare in the electric car market and possibly unique at this price point, and that’s a car that’s genuinely fun to use on the road every day.
This fun factor starts before you get in the car; Abarth offers the 500e in a host of bright – fun – colours, rather than just variations on grey.
Get in the Abarth, press the start button and the next ‘fun’ factor is the noise it makes. Abarth has fitted the car with external speakers that play a loud engine and exhaust sound from a throaty combustion engined car. It will immediately divide opinion, but it’s still fun. And if you don’t like it, you can always turn it off.
Drive the Abarth 500e and you’ll be grinning. There are three driving modes that offer levels of performance and responsiveness that step up as you move from Turismo to Street Scorpion then on to Track Scorpion.
However, it’s the way the suspension is set up that Abarth has judged perfectly. Yes, it’s a stiff car and you will be actively avoiding potholes, but that hard ride is mitigated by very supportive seats. The reward of the firm suspension is that grip in the corners is excellent.
The car also feels faster than the on-paper figures suggest thanks to the instant torque that electric motors provide. Indeed, Abarth makes a big thing about the car’s 0-31mph time which is 2.9 seconds.
If there’s a negative to the Abarth 500e, it’s the infotainment system, which doesn’t quite follow the same logic as the rest of the Stellantis range, however, it is easy to turn off the lane keeping via a physical button on the end of the indicator stalk.
All in, for those looking for a small, fun hatchback, the Abarth 500e is not only hugely appealing, but also now comes with a 2% benefit-in-kind classification.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Abarth 500e
The first electric car that’s properly fun on a daily basis.
Abarth 500e
- Model: 500e Turismo Convertible
- Power: 154hp
- Torque: 235Nm
- Max speed: 96mph
- 0-62mph: 7.0s
- Official range: 150 miles
- Test range: 145 miles*
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2024/25: 2%
* ambient temp circa 15degC
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