Abarth 500 Electric Hot Hatch Is Reportedly In The Works

Abarth is one of Stellantis’ niche companies, which will continue making go-fast versions of existing Fiat products. Last summer, the firm unveiled the Abarth F595 as a hardcore hot hatch based on the Fiat 500 with a combustion engine. According to a new report, the brand’s first all-electric model will be launched next year as a more powerful and sportier alternative to the zero-emissions Fiat 500e.

 Autocar has a new article detailing Abarth’s first attempt at creating a hot EV hatch and the publication claims the first official details will be released shortly before the vehicle’s official launch. Unofficially, the report says the car will be able to achieve a 0-62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) acceleration in about 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 100 mph (160 kph). These will be substantial improvements over the stock 500e’s 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) time of 9.0 seconds and 93 mph (150 kph) of top speed.

In an interview, Abarth’s boss Olivier François confirmed the electric hot hatch is already under development and that final tests are underway. He also added that the Abarth community is playing a crucial role in the development of the car and that “social media is ideal for that.” Judging by the current stage of development, we expect to see the final production version of the Abarth 500e towards the end of this year or early next year.

“A year and a half ago, I said it can’t be that hard [to make an Abarth version of the electric 500]. Electric cars are so fun to drive already. The good news is that we are actively working on it, and once it’s confirmed, it will be relatively quick. The bad news is that it’s more complicated to deliver than I thought. If you want to do a real Abarth, it’s not the same electric powertrain.”

François also hinted at much more than just a retuned electric powertrain. According to the brand’s head honcho, creating a hot electric hatch requires adapting the suspension and brakes to the new and more powerful EV system. This likely hints at hardware upgrades compared to the standard zero-emissions Fiat 500 with the idea to "heat up people, not the planet."