Abarth 600e Review & Prices

The Abarth 600e is a small electric SUV that’s based on a mundane family car, but here it gets more power and sportier styling. It’s a bit like making running shoes out of a pair of loafers.

Small electric performance cars aren’t particularly numerous, but you might consider the Abarth 600e if you’ve also been looking at the MG4 XPower, Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce or Volkswagen ID3 GTX.

Abarths are known for their overtly sporty styling, and the 600e is no different. You get squared off bumpers that Abarth claims are to improve aerodynamics, as does the rear spoiler, while you get big 20-inch alloy wheels too.

Abarth 600e: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 207 miles
Efficiency: 3.3mi/kWh
Battery size: 54kWh
Max charge speed: 100kW
Charge time AC: 5h 45m, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 27m, 0-80%, 100kW
Charge port location: Right side rear
Power outputs: 240hp, 280hp

On the outside it’s obviously different to the Fiat 600e it’s based on, but changes are more subtle inside. You get a sports steering wheel and Alcantara upholstery, as well as some luminous yellow details among the mostly black materials. You get the same 7.0-inch infotainment screen as the Fiat, but with some Abarth-specific graphics.

Where the big difference should be noticed is the way the Abarth 600e drives. It has been built with help from the motorsport division of parent company Stellantis, and there are some choice upgrades. For a start, with 280hp this is the most powerful Abarth ever made, and the motors were tuned using a Formula E test bench.

It’s worth noting, though, that the 280hp ‘Scorpionissima’ model is limited to 1,949 examples – the 240hp standard version will be the most popular.

Still, even the less powerful model gets some specially developed Michelin EV tyres, uprated Alcon brakes and a mechanical limited-slip differential to improve traction out of corners. On top of this there’s sportier suspension, stiffer chassis parts to improve control of the body, and better cooling for the battery so you can drive faster for longer.

Naturally this extra power does have a negative effect on range. The Abarth 600e can go up to 207 miles on a full charge, which is nearly 50 miles worse than the same battery in the Fiat 600e, and allegedly based on using energy efficient tyres, too. You can expect that to drop well below 200 miles if you’re driving quickly, and a maximum charge speed of 100kW isn’t fantastic, either.

We’ll update this review with our impressions once we’ve behind the wheel. If you can’t wait that long, check out the latest Abarth 600e deals on Carwow now, or browse Fiat 600e deals if you don’t need all that extra power. You can also browse used Abarths from our network of trusted dealers, and sell your car through Carwow, too.

There are two versions of the Abarth 600e. The base model has 240hp, while the Scorpionissima gets 280hp.

The 240hp model gets all the mechanical upgrades, but there are a few subtle differences between the two. For example, the Scorpionissima gets Alcantara-upholstered Sabelt bucket seats, but these are fabric-covered in the base model. The more powerful version also has a unique purple paint job and some stickers.

The Abarth 600e shares its underpinnings – chassis, battery and motor technology, for example – with the Alfa Romeo Junior Electric. The Veloce version of that car gets most of the same upgrades that the Abarth 600e gets over the Fiat version, but it’s a bit more expensive. A Volkswagen ID3 GTX is pricier still, making the Abarth look like pretty good value.