There's something deeply un-electric about an Abarth. The whole point of the badge - the scorpion, the racing heritage, the noise - is theatre. So the idea of an Abarth that runs on electrons rather than a snarling little turbo four felt, frankly, like a contradiction when I first slid behind the wheel of this Abarth 500e in eye-searing Poison Blue.

This particular car is a special one: a Scorpionissima, one of just 219 launch-edition units. It rides on the bones of the regular electric 500, but Abarth has fettled it with the brand's familiar mix of attitude and aggression. Over a week of inner-city errands, Eastern Distributor blasts and a couple of damp mornings that genuinely tested my nerve, the 500e proved to be one of the most entertaining small cars I've driven in a long time - and also one of the most flawed. Both things can be true.

Design & Exterior

The electric 500 is unmistakably a Fiat 500 at heart, and that's no bad thing. It's one of the prettiest small cars on the road, all soft curves, round eyes and Italian charm. The Abarth treatment adds just enough menace without tipping into boy-racer territory.

The Poison Blue paint - a $990 premium option on top of the $58,900 list price - is the real showstopper. It's vivid, almost fluorescent in direct sunlight, and it suits the car's playful character perfectly. You'll either love it or find it exhausting; there's no middle ground.

Standout exterior details:

  • 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 205/40 R18 rubber, which look fantastic but come at a cost we'll get to.
  • Infinity LED headlights and full LED tail lights, giving it a sharp signature day and night.
  • A panoramic fixed glass roof that floods the cabin with light and makes the tiny interior feel bigger than it is.
  • Privacy glass and subtle scorpion badging that keeps the styling cohesive rather than cluttered.

At just 3,673mm long and 1,682mm wide, it's properly small - a genuine advantage in a city built around tight laneways, packed shopping-centre car parks and apartment garages that were never designed for modern SUVs.

Interior & Technology

Climb inside, and the 500e leans hard into what I would politely call a "minimalist" interior. There's not a lot in here, and what is here is wrapped in Alcantara - the dashboard, the sporty seats, the steering wheel rim. It feels special and a bit motorsport-flavoured, even if the underlying plastics are clearly built to a price.

The premium Alcantara sport seats are a highlight: snug, supportive and embossed for a properly sporting feel. The seating position is upright and high, which takes a moment to reconcile with the car's hot-hatch intentions, but visibility is excellent as a result.

On the tech front, Abarth keeps things simple:

  • A 10.25-inch touchscreen running wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus DAB+ digital radio.
  • A 7-inch TFT instrument cluster that's clear and uncluttered.
  • A JBL six-speaker sound system, a wireless charging pad and three USB ports (2x A, 1x C).
  • Climate control, keyless entry and go, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers.

Here's the first gripe: this is an ambitious four-seater with a 185-litre boot. It's tiny. A weekly shop for one or two people is fine; a pram, a set of golf clubs or a big airport run is not. The rear seats split 50:50 and fold, which helps, but nobody should mistake this for a practical family car. It's a toy, and it's priced like a serious one.

Performance & Driving Experience

This is where the 500e earns its scorpion. The front-mounted permanent-magnet electric motor produces 113kW and 235Nm, fed by a 42kWh lithium-ion battery. Abarth quotes 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 150km/h. On paper, modest. In the real world, in a car this small and light (1,335kg), it feels genuinely quick.

There are three drive modes via the e-Mode selector:

  • Turismo for relaxed, range-conscious pottering.
  • Scorpion Street for sharper throttle response around town.
  • Scorpion Track for everything dialled up to maximum.

Around town it's an absolute hoot. The instant torque makes darting through traffic effortless, and the compact footprint means you can thread it through gaps that would leave most cars stranded. This is the 500e in its happy place.

But there's a catch, and it's a big one. With 235Nm going to the front wheels alone in such a light car, torque steer in the wet is genuinely alarming. Plant the throttle on a damp, painted line and the steering wheel writhes in your hands as the traction control scrambles to keep things pointed straight. Thank goodness it's there, because without it, a wet roundabout exit could get spicy. It's a reminder that raw electric torque and a front-drive layout don't always make comfortable bedfellows.

The other compromise is ride quality. Those gorgeous 18-inch wheels and low-profile tyres look the part but do the 500e no favours on Sydney's pockmarked roads. The ride is firm bordering on brittle, and sharp-edged bumps thud through the cabin. On a smooth road it's fine; on a typical inner-west backstreet, it's busy and tiring.

EV Range is the final consideration. The official WLTP figure is 253km, with certified consumption of 181Wh/km. In real-world mixed driving, expect comfortably under that, especially if you spend time in Scorpion modes. I managed 15.6kWh/100km over 430km which included some city driving and a freeway run to the Southern Highlands. Charging is respectable: roughly 4 hours 15 minutes for a full top-up on an 11kW AC wallbox, or about 35 minutes for 10-80% on an 85kW DC fast charger via the CCS Combo Type 2 port.

Safety

For a small, focused performance car, the 500e carries a sensible suite of active safety kit as standard:

  • Autonomous emergency braking with vulnerable road user detection.
  • Blind spot assist, lane keep assist and lane centering.
  • Traffic jam assist and traffic sign recognition with intelligent speed control.
  • Driver behaviour warning, six airbags, and front, side and rear parking sensors.
  • A rear back-up camera and tyre pressure monitoring.

It's a solid list, and the systems are unobtrusive enough that they don't nag. Given the torque-steer behaviour discussed above, the standard-fit stability and traction control deserve special mention - they're not optional fun-police here, they're essential.

Value & Verdict

At $58,900 before on-road costs (and $59,890 as tested with the Poison Blue paint), the Abarth 500e is not a cheap car. That's premium-German-hatch money for a tiny Italian four-seater with a 253km range and a small boot. Judged purely on the spreadsheet, it makes very little sense.

But that misses the point entirely. The 500e is bought with the heart, not the calculator. As a second car, a city runabout or a stylish statement for someone who wants electric motoring with genuine character, it's hugely appealing. The warranty package is fair too: 3 years/150,000km vehicle cover, 8 years/160,000km on the battery, and 3 years roadside assist.

Where the 500e Falls Short

  • Wet-weather torque steer that ranges from characterful to genuinely unnerving.
  • A firm, busy ride on the 18-inch wheels over rough surfaces.
  • A tiny 185-litre boot and strict four-seat layout that limit everyday practicality.
  • A 253km range that demands planning if you regularly drive beyond the suburbs.
  • A high price for what is, fundamentally, a small city car.

Final Take

The Abarth 500e Scorpionissima is gloriously silly in the best way. It's quick, it's beautiful, it turns heads, and around town it delivers the kind of cheeky, grin-inducing fun that the Abarth badge promises. It's also firm, impractical, occasionally twitchy in the wet, and expensive.

If you want one sensible car to do everything, look elsewhere. But if you've got room in the garage and the budget for an electric indulgence with real personality, this little blue scorpion will sting its way into your affections. One of 219, and proud of it.