2023-05-19 10:58:20
Driving report: Abarth 500e
fun machine
Abarth 500e
© press-inform – the press office
It looks a bit like a toy – if only because of its dimensions and the obvious fun factor – but it’s electrically powered and it’s a sly old dog. No wonder the driver is beaming behind the wheel.
The Fiat 500 is a hit – especially in its latest generation, in which it is only available as an electric version. And this is now available as a tasty energy bar as the Abarth 500e. The look is typical Abarth: deep aprons and Abarth lettering here and there – plus gray exterior mirror caps and fat wheels – that’s what a city athlete looks like who just wants to conquer women’s hearts. Inside there is dark sport charm, every Alcantara and well-contoured sports seats – animated instruments and a 10.25-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard.
The 42 kWh Samsung battery is located between the axles, uses prismatic lithium-ion cells and weighs an impressive 295 kg, which brings the total mass of the vehicle down to 1,410 kg. The Targa version called Cabrio weighs another 25 kilograms more due to the roof construction. The small battery pack feeds the 114 kW / 155 hp electric motor on the front axle, which turns the sporty northern Italian into a fun machine. This is also helped by the weight ratio of 53:47 in favor of the front axle, which is more balanced than on the Abarth petrol models. No wonder that the Abarth 500e offers its driver a much more centered driving position and makes a more agile impression despite the additional weight. The 500e’s acceleration is much more immediate up to 50 km/h, mainly because of the turbo lag of the 1.4-litre petrol engine, which is noticeable up to 2700 rpm. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h takes almost the same amount of time (6.7 seconds for the 695 and 7.0 for the electric version. The starting disadvantage is compensated for by the additional power of 180 compared to 155 hp, 250 compared to 235 Nm and the reduced weight of 1,120 compared to 1,420 kilograms .
When it comes to top speed, the Abarth 500e slips up painfully, because 155 km/h is simply unacceptable for a sports version; especially when the combustion engine is running at 225 km/h. If it is curvy and less fast, the Stromer is ahead. In terms of handling, the 3.67 meter long 500e benefits from the obvious advantages of the new generation of architecture with 2.4 centimeters more wheelbase and a six centimeter wider track at the front and rear, which translates into noticeably better driving comfort and greater cornering stability knocks down. The more modern platform cannot overplay the tugging on the steering wheel due to the increased wheel slip in all three driving modes.
The obtrusive engine sound remains a matter of taste, which inspires many Abarth fans. However, if this is actually generated with the combustion engine, powerful loudspeakers were attached to the vehicle underside of the electric model next to the rear wheels, which reproduce the acoustic sounds of recordings with petrol-powered Abarths. The tones create an effect as they increase or decrease in volume during acceleration and braking, which helps to feel the speed and also injects drama into moments of sporty driving. The problem is that the sound when driving with continuous accelerator pedal pressure becomes as monotonous as it is boring and the volume, as with the combustion engine, is too much of a good thing, which can be a nuisance at sensitive times of day and night or in closed urban areas. The sonorous sound can also be deactivated, but in an interior without a button, the driver has to go through three menus in the instrumentation until he reaches his acoustic target – and only when the vehicle is switched off.
The real range is likely to be the promised 265 kilometers, because even with a sporty driving style, the average consumption was 17 kWh/100 kilometers and thus within the factory specification. It gets bitter when recharging, because the electric spike refuels at a quick charging station with just 85 kilowatts. Abarth fans will have to come to terms with this when the 500e goes on sale next month at prices starting at 37,990 euros. The open variant costs at least 40,990 euros.
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