New Abarth 600e revealed as small electric SUV with a sting in its tail

Who says electric SUVs are boring? Well certainly not Abarth, as the Italian brand has just unveiled its head-turning, high-performance version of the Fiat 600e.

The Abarth 600e will be the maker’s first SUV to make it to the UK market – it sells the Pulse crossover in Latin America – and it’s also the most powerful Abarth yet, outputting 237bhp – roughly 80bhp more than the Fiat version.

This extra power is courtesy of an uprated front-mounted electric motor; the Abarth doesn’t get four-wheel drive, unlike the Volvo EX30 Twin-Motor. It does, however, get a multitude of performance upgrades over the standard 600e, which should make it much more engaging to drive. It may also get Abarth’s controversial ‘Sound Generator’, which emulates the sound of a petrol-powered Abarth 595.

For starters, the Abarth 600e gets a limited-slip differential which can juggle power between each of the two front wheels in order to maintain maximum traction. Speaking of which, the hot 600e also gets 20-inch wheels wrapped in sticky high-performance tyres which, according to Abarth, were developed in conjunction with Formula E and should provide plenty of grip.

At this stage it’s unknown whether the Abarth 600e will get a different battery to its Fiat counterpart; the smaller Abarth 500e shares its 42kWh battery with the Fiat 500e and, due to the extra power it produces, the Abarth has a reduced range of 164 miles (down from 199 miles). With this and the 600e’s 54kWh battery pack in mind, we expect range to drop from around 250 miles in the Fiat to around 220 miles in the Abarth SUV.

This reduction in range will also probably be a result of the 600e’s rather extreme aero package; the hot Abarth SUV gets an aggressive front splitter, as well as a rear spoiler the size of many people’s dinner tables. Images show the Abarth has also been lowered compared to its Fiat counterpart, providing a much sportier stance.

No images have been released of the Abarth 600e’s interior, although we expect this to feature the same UConnect infotainment system as the Fiat 600e, as well as swathes of Alcantara upholstery and a pair of sports bucket seats for the driver and front passenger.

The Abarth 600e is expected to go on sale later in 2024, with prices starting from around £40,000. Abarth has also confirmed that a special-edition ‘Scorpionissima’ version will be offered; limited to just 1,949 units, this will be the first model available and will come in the unique purple paint shown above, as well as an authenticity certificate.