The much-loved ABARTH is a marque as synonymous with Italy as pizza, pasta, and prosciutto. Like the country’s iconic foods, the ABARTH range (500e, 595 and 695) comes in various flavors, and for this issue of Open Road, we’re particularly hungry for the all-new ABARTH 500e and ABARTH 500e Turismo.

Before the ABARTH 500e were the petrol-powered variants; cars that are small but incredibly mighty. It too comes in various takes, ranging from a standard iteration to track-ready living icons like the ABARTH 595 and ABARTH 695, which gives cars much bigger and feistier than themselves a run for their money. The recipe is a potent engine, front-wheel drive, and as little weight as possible, with some even sporting dramatic amounts of airforce.

But the ABARTH 500e – in both its entry-level and Turismo form – isn’t this. Instead, it’s ABARTH’s first all-electric model. It’s the reality many automotive brands are facing, having to produce performance cars that suit the electrified lifestyles we’re encouraged to lead. However, whereas other manufacturers are putting EV creature comforts over speed and handling, ABARTH isn’t. Here’s what Hypebeast makes of it.

Performance and Handling

The new ABARTH 500e is described by the brand as being “more Abarth than EVer.” That’s quite a tall order, seeing that electric cars are heavier and typically do not offer the sensory experience of their petrol-powered counterparts.

But that’s not the case for the ABARTH model, which is fitted with an external “Sound Generator” speaker that emits an “engine” noise – which took 6,000 hours to curate. The effect is similar to that of a turbocharger’s flutter, and actually increases in urgency as you move up the imaginary rev band. Thus, driving the ABARTH 500e gives you the feeling of being in more control of the car as opposed to other EVs, allowing you to effectively use the power and throttle as you would normally.

It sounds far-fetched, but the “Sound Generator” does enhance the driving experience. By understanding and hearing where the power is at, you can chuck the little hot hatch into corners with plenty of confidence, relying on front-wheel-drive to cling on even on the sharpest or tightest of bends, as we experienced on the rooftop test track of Lingotto-Fabrik in Turin and accompanying bowl, Pista Cinquecento.

The performance factor in question is a 42-kWh battery coupled with a powerful e-motor, which results in best-in-class acceleration. While it may be small, the effects are big – 60 MPH is hit in just seven seconds, and in the real world, it provides 50% faster acceleration from 12-25 MPH than its gasoline-powered counterpart. Likewise, it is a second faster from 25-37 MPH, reaching this in 1.5 seconds and 15 meters ahead of the petrol version ABARTH 595.

Subsequently, power is more than accounted for. How it puts its power down is another question – and without fail, it delivers this with a confidence-inducing spirit. EV or not, the ABARTH 500e Turismo is still a fantastic, chuckable, nimble little thing to drive.

Exterior

ABARTH has great visual identity, and this is not skimped on when it comes to the ABARTH 500e. The car stands out tremendously in “Acid Green,” sitting atop 18” diamond-cut alloy wheels with Scorpion badging on the sides, ABARTH monikers front and rear, and privacy glass denoting that this is the range-topping Turismo variant.

It also carries a new electric-model-only design all around – at the front, things are kept mean with split headlights and circular daytime running LEDs, while at the rear “500”-inscribed lights can be found on either side of the buttresses. It even features front and rear splitters, the signature Scorpion badge on the front hood, and air intakes to cool the battery, delivering enhanced performance.

Electric cars often have a tendency to look ultra-futuristic. Perhaps even alien-like. ABARTH on the other hand keeps it traditional, understated if you will (despite that paint job). And this is another winning factor for the city car.

Interior

Where the exterior feels familiar, the interior is ABARTH’s party piece – it’s completely new, up-to-date, and freshened for the EV future.

Alcantara clads plenty of touch points, notably a chunky steering wheel and the headrest-integrated front bucket seats. A central driver’s screen can be customized to give you all the necessary information you require, while an infotainment system allows you to set the car up as you wish – from the premium JBL speakers to Apple CarPlay and performance statistics.

It’s a welcoming place to sit – cocooning and cozy, but by no means too small. Instead, you feel like you’re at the helm of a go-kart for the road, which only makes the performance aspects of the car more enjoyable to experience.

Verdict

The ABARTH 500e starts at €37,990 for the Limousine, rising to €40,990 for the Cabrio, €42,990 for the Tursimo Limousine and €45,990 for the Turismo Cabrio.

The ABARTH 500e Turismo is a bonafide hot hatch city car, perfect for road or track. As Hypebeast found out in Turin, the car is a head-turning, nippy, dependable machine fit for flicking around the bends and blasting out of the straights, leaving us with one sentiment: what more could one ask for in a car as fun, iconic, and loveable as this?

To find out more about the new ABARTH 500e range, head to the brand’s website and experience Abarth’s new era of performance.

Consumption and emission values*

Abarth 500e

Electricity consumption (combined): 18.8 kWh/100 km;

Electric range (combined): 242 km; CO2 emissions: 0 g/km

*Values according to the law measurement method. Further information on the official fuel consumption and the official specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the ‘Guide to fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and electricity consumption of new passenger cars’, which is available free of charge at all points of sale and online.