The All-Electric Abarth 500e Plays Turbocharged Engine Sounds!

Abarth is ushering in a completely new era with its recent introduction of the all-new, all-electric Abarth 500e. The new electrified performance city car has received mixed reactions from fans across the globe. 

As a brand known for its performance lineup equipped with small-displacement turbocharged engines, many diehard fans aren’t impressed with the move to e-motors. But it isn’t keeping the “Scorpion” brand from trying to sway those who refuse to make the jump to electric vehicles (EVs).

For those fans who love the sound of the current lineup of turbocharged internal combustion engines (ICEs), Abarth has equipped its new 500e with a so-called “sound generator”. Using technology, Abarth will use an automated sound of a current turbocharged Abarth engine. That’s right, the new electrified 500e will sound like it has an ICE.

But thanks to some new video footage, we can finally see and hear the new Abarth 500e in action on public roads. But in my opinion, the new automated soundtrack doesn’t cut it compared to the true turbocharged four-cylinder engine. (Simply go to the 3-minute, 3-second mark in the video at the top of the page to listen).

With an e-motor now powering its front wheels, the Abarth 500e delivers 155 horsepower and 173 lb.-ft. (235 Nm) of torque. That is an increase of 38 horsepower and 11 lb.-ft. (15 Nm) over the standard 500e. Capable of a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7 seconds, it is a full two seconds quicker than the standard 500e BEV. However, it does fall short of the current turbocharged Abarth 695’s time by 0.3 a second.