Photo: X-Tomi Design
The Fiat 500e is one of the surprise debuts of the week. It's supposed to be built from the ground up as an electric car, built at a different factory and has up to 199 miles (320 km) of range per charge.
Electricity has been part of the Cinquecento formula for many years. However, this model is a little more compelling, and many people wonder what it would be like to combine this new 500e with an existing flavor, which is the Abarth.
This rendering by X-Tomi Design does just that, adding the trademark features of the scorpion brand to this tiny convertible EV. It's got the big, gunmetal wheels with red stripes, added grilles and painted mirrors. Sadly, a fruity exhaust has to be taken out of the equation, even though a Record Monza-equipped Abarth is one of the best four-cylinder aural experiences.
The normal 500e is motivated by a 118 horsepower motor that sends power to the front wheels for a 0 to 62mph (100 kph) sprint time of 9 seconds and a top speed of 150 kph. That sounds pretty boring, but it's probably not.
Objectively speaking, an Abarth 500e would be a bad car. The extra power and fatter tires would probably hurt range, while the already high price of €37,500 would have to be increased. But an Abarth is supposed to be condensed driving enjoyment, not a logical choice.
We think electric cars are really cool, and the way they just grip and go is fun. Right now, the production of regular Abarth models can continue, since the 500 is made in Poland and the 500e in Italy. However, almost all city cars made by European companies will go electric by the end of the decade.
Reports from last year also suggest the Fiat 124 Spider might also go out of production citing incompatibility with the "mass market." The Fiata has already stopped being shown on several websites, so eventually, Abarth will have to play around with electricity and not be so hung up on its past.
This rendering by X-Tomi Design does just that, adding the trademark features of the scorpion brand to this tiny convertible EV. It's got the big, gunmetal wheels with red stripes, added grilles and painted mirrors. Sadly, a fruity exhaust has to be taken out of the equation, even though a Record Monza-equipped Abarth is one of the best four-cylinder aural experiences.
The normal 500e is motivated by a 118 horsepower motor that sends power to the front wheels for a 0 to 62mph (100 kph) sprint time of 9 seconds and a top speed of 150 kph. That sounds pretty boring, but it's probably not.
Objectively speaking, an Abarth 500e would be a bad car. The extra power and fatter tires would probably hurt range, while the already high price of €37,500 would have to be increased. But an Abarth is supposed to be condensed driving enjoyment, not a logical choice.
We think electric cars are really cool, and the way they just grip and go is fun. Right now, the production of regular Abarth models can continue, since the 500 is made in Poland and the 500e in Italy. However, almost all city cars made by European companies will go electric by the end of the decade.
Reports from last year also suggest the Fiat 124 Spider might also go out of production citing incompatibility with the "mass market." The Fiata has already stopped being shown on several websites, so eventually, Abarth will have to play around with electricity and not be so hung up on its past.
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