2023 Abarth 500e Australian details locked in, price to be confirmed

The Abarth 500e electric hot hatch is due in Australian showrooms later this year, with a limited-edition variant to debut before the ‘standard’ model arrives.

2023 Abarth 500e Australian specificationsLimited-edition ‘Scorpionissima’ to arrive ahead of ‘Turismo’Both variants based on flagship modelPricing yet to be announced

Australian specifications and features for the Fiat Abarth 500e electric hot hatch have been locked in ahead of its arrival in local showrooms later this year – but pricing is yet to be announced.

Fiat Australia has confirmed the Abarth 500e – a performance version of the Fiat 500e city car – will be sold locally as a coupe only, with a limited-edition ‘Scorpionissima’ variant due before the volume-selling ‘Turismo’ grade becomes available.

Pricing is yet to be announced for the Abarth 500e, though calculations by Drive – using UK data as a guide – estimate the electric hot hatch could be priced from $60,000 before on-road costs.

This estimated price is about $7000 more than the standard Fiat 500e and almost $20,000 more than the petrol-powered Abarth 695 it will replace, which is priced from $36,400 (manual) and $38,400 (automatic).

The Abarth 500e which will be sold in Australia is based on the highly-equipped ‘Turismo’ grade available overseas, which is fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, and heated Alcantara sports seats.

Features carried across from the Fiat 500e include LED headlights, daytime-running lights and tail-lights, a 7.0-inch digital instrument display, a 10.20-inch infotainment touchscreen (with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and digital radio), and a six-speaker JBL sound system.

A suite of advanced driver assistance systems is also included, such as Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep and lane centring assist, adaptive cruise control (with stop and go), blind-sport monitoring and traffic sign recognition.

All of the above features are fitted to both the Abarth 500e Turismo and 500e Scorpionissima, though the latter, limited-edition variant gains a number of minor cosmetic tweaks.

The Abarth 500e Scorpionissima is limited to 1949 units worldwide – reflecting the year the company was founded – with just 219 of those allocated for Australia.

Compared to the 500e Turismo, the 500e Scorpionissima is available exclusively with a choice of Acid Green or Poison Blue paintwork, paired with unique ‘Abarth’ decals on its sides (black on green cars, and white on blue examples).

All Abarth 500e variants are powered by a 114kW/235Nm electric motor on the front axle – up from the Fiat’s 87kW/220Nm outputs – and a 42kWh battery pack.

Abarth claims the 500e can accelerate from 0-100km/h in seven seconds – 0.3 seconds slower than the 695 – though it is said to 40 to 50 per cent faster than the turbo petrol-powered hatchback when accelerating from from 20 to 40km/h, and from 40 to 60km/h.

Three driving modes are available: Turismo (a comfort-based mode), Scorpion Street (offering better throttle response and regenerative braking) and Scorpion Track (with reduced regenerative braking).

The Abarth 500e has also been fitted with a ‘Sound Generator’, which aims to mimic and reproduce the pops, bangs and crackles from the 695’s turbocharged petrol engine.

The Australian-delivered Abarth 500e has a claimed driving range of 252km due to its 18-inch wheels – down from the 265km claim for examples with 17-inch wheels in Europe and the Fiat 500e’s 320km rating in European WLTP testing.

Abarth claims the 500e’s 42kWh battery can be charged at up to 85kW on a DC fast charger, providing approximately 40km of driving range in five minutes.

The 2023 Fiat Abarth 500e is due in Australia at an unspecified time later this year – with the limited-edition Scorpionissima slated to arrive before the Turismo variants – as pricing is expected to be confirmed closer to its local launch.

2023 Fiat Abarth 500e Turismo standard features:

18-inch alloy wheelsDusk-sensing LED headlights with auto high beamLED daytime-running lights and tail-lights7.0-inch digital instrument display10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radioKeyless (sensor-key) entry with push-button startAutomatic climate-control air conditioningWireless smartphone chargerFront and rear parking sensorsRear-view cameraSix-speaker JBL sound systemPanoramic glass roofHeated Alcantara sports front seatsLeather and Alcantara steering wheelAlcantara dashboard trim panelMetal pedals and footrest50:50 split-folding rear seatsRain-sensing wipersAuto-dimming rear-view mirrorRear privacy glassTwo USB ports (one USB-A, one USB-C)Mode 3 charging cableAbarth driving modesAbarth sound generatorAutonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detectionLane-keep assistLane centring assistAdaptive cruise control with stop and goTraffic-jam assistBlind-spot monitoringTraffic sign recognitionIntelligent speed limiterDriver attention alertTyre pressure monitoringAvailable colours:Acid GreenPoison BlueAntidote WhiteVenom BlackAdrenaline Red