The 2024 Abarth 500e will go from zero to 100km/h in 7.0 seconds.

The 2024 Abarth 500e's cabin is all nicely laid out, and the more I use them, the more I like the horizontal drive controllers that don’t eat up the little space you have with a traditional shifter. The materials are a bit hit and miss, though, and while I like the addition of the central screen, it’s surprisingly annoying to use — I found myself jabbing at the buttons again and again before it reacts.

The 2024 Abarth 500e might look like it could fit in your pocket, but it is priced like a much bigger vehicle, starting at $58,900, plus on-road costs for the Turismo, increasing to $60,500 for the limited-edition Scorpionissima.

Outside, either trim gets 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, LED lighting all around, a fixed glass roof, the new e-latch front doors (meaning you can just push a button to open the door) from the 500e, along with some performance-focused add-ons, like a front splitter, greyed-out mirror caps, rear disc brakes and new front and rear bumper treatments.

Inside, there’s a leather-and-Alcantara steering wheel, sports seats, aluminium pedals and climate control, while on the tech front, a central 10.25-inch central screen pairs with a wireless charger and wireless phone mirroring, while a second 7.0-inch Driver Display Screen gives you all your driving data.

The 2024 Abarth 500's single front-mounted electric motor provides the go, with a total 113.7kW and 235Nm on offer fed through the single-speed gearbox, which is enough to push the 500e from 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds.

Happily, the way that power is delivered makes it feel faster, and that Sound Generator does a pretty good impersonation of a petrol-powered hot hatch, rising and falling with your inputs.

It's a four-seat configuration in the 2024 Abarth 500e, but it feels more like a 2+2, given the back feels impossibly tight for adults to sit comfortably.

The 2024 Abarth 500e is fitted with a 42kWh battery that delivers a claimed 253km of driving range. It’s worth noting that there are three Drive Modes — Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track — and that only the first one will deliver the maximum range, because it limits inputs to 100kW and 220Nm. Engage the other two and you can expect those numbers to drop.