With the end of production of the 124 Spider, Abarth is again reduced to just the small 500 to form its range. But now we have a (really) new Fiat 500, which is also exclusively electric — could an Abarth 595 electric or even an electric 695 be in the scorpion brand's plans?
It's true that we've seen countless all-electric proposals emerge, but so far, none focused on performance — we're talking, of course, of sports cars like hot hatch or pocket rockets — taking advantage of the intrinsic characteristics of the electric motor: instantaneous torque and acceleration.
There have been rumors about these, and Renault even presented a few years ago a prototype of a Zoe full of “steroids”, but for now, the closest we have is the Mini Cooper SE. With 184 hp it already allows for the classic 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3s, but there are several commitments in this proposal, which has been reflected in the assessment of its dynamic capabilities.
Despite the Cooper SE's lower center of gravity and better weight distribution compared to the Cooper S (petrol), the ground clearance is now increased by 18 mm to “snap” the batteries onto a platform that was not originally designed for the behave. In addition, the extra ballast (1440 kg against 1275 kg) requires a suspension calibration that does not always benefit the dynamic behavior.
Subscribe to our newsletter
The new electric Fiat 500, on the other hand, is based on a new platform specifically for this type of engine. In other words, in principle, it will be a better starting point to create the first electric scorpion ever.
A hypothetical Abarth 595 electric
Like its gasoline counterparts, this hypothetical Abarth 595 electric would also have to benefit from more horsepower to live up to its name. The 118 hp of the 500 electric and the 9.0s from 0 to 100 km/h are simply not enough. Numbers more in line with those presented by the Mini Cooper SE would be needed to justify the scorpion symbol.
What about autonomy? The electric Fiat 500 announces 320 km (WLTP). Knowing that greater performance may imply a sacrifice in autonomy, would we be willing to do without a few dozen kilometers to access another level of performance with an electric Abarth 595?
Perhaps what we could miss the most in an electric Abarth 595 was the low sound of the 1.4 Turbo that marks all models of the scorpion brand. Being an electric motor, we will either have silence or synthesized sounds… None of them seem to be a satisfactory solution, but they are the only options available.
Finally, as the cover image for this article shows, courtesy of X-Tomi Design, it wouldn't be difficult to achieve a sporty, visually appealing look. By adopting the same lines and proportions as the 500 with a combustion engine, despite being a larger model, a hypothetical Abarth 595 electric would almost certainly result in a (compact) treat for the eyes.
We leave you the challenge. Should Abarth launch an electric sports car based on the new Fiat 500? Leave your opinion in the comments box.