Abarth 500 electric hot hatch confirmed for production – report
The new electric hot hatch will go into production next year, it’s reported.
A new high-performance Abarth variant of the
electric Fiat 500 city car is in the works and destined for production, according to a new report from Autocar.The hot hatch will be the Italian performance sub-brand’s first foray into electric power, and is likely to come onto the market sometime 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],” Fiat CEO Olivier François told the outlet.
“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 … Once it has the power and torque you want, it’s no longer the same drivetrain, nor the same transmission or brakes – The whole thing has to be adapted.”
In entry-level versions of the current electric Fiat 500 (shown above), a single electric motor sends 70kW/210Nm to the front wheels. This allows the 0-100km/h sprint to be completed in a claimed 9.5 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 135km/h. Flagship variants upgrade to a circa-85kW electric motor.
According to Autocar, a 0-100km/h time below 7.0 seconds and top speed in excess of 160km/h are likely in the new Abarth variant.
For reference, the petrol-powered Abarth 595 Competizione completes the benchmark dash in a roughly-equivalent 6.7 seconds.
According to Mr François, other electric Abarth models are already in the pipeline and the brand plans to offer a three-vehicle range concurrently in the future.
The electric Fiat 500 is not currently offered in Australia, however it’s expected parent company Stellantis will detail its local electric vehicle strategy later this year – suggesting it launch within the next year or two.
The post Abarth 500 electric hot hatch confirmed for production – report appeared first on Drive.