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What's the difference?
Meet the Abarth 500e, the mad-hatter sibling to the very good and all-electric Fiat 500e, and the Italian brand's first attempt at a bonafide EV hot hatch.
It's tiny, tough and – despite the lack of engine and exhaust – it burbles manically when you fire it up.
So does this mean Italy’s pint-sized, petrol-powered icon has a future in the all-electric era? Let’s go find out.
The third film in a trilogy is often the hardest to get right - Return of the Jedi is not as acclaimed as The Empire Strikes Back.The Godfather III is nowhere near as revered as its predecessors.
Which I mention because we’ve come to the end of our Lotus trilogy, as regular readers may have noticed in recent weeks we have tested the Emira and Eletre.
This time we’re driving the Emeya, the third and final member of the brand’s new line-up (at least for now) that manages to combine elements of both its stablemates.
The Emeya is Lotus’ direct rival to the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, an electric sports sedan that takes elements of the Emira’s dynamics and pairs it with the Eletre’s powertrain and style.
So let’s find out how this final installment of the Lotus trilogy has a happy ending or not…
It’s not perfect, but it’s everything a hot hatch should be in the electric era — engaging, exciting, and, above all, fun.
As both the conclusion to this Lotus trilogy, but also a car in its own right, the Emeya earns a positive review. It was fitting that I happened to drive the brand’s three newest models in the order I did - Emira, Eletre, Emeya - because it turned out to be the most interesting way to experience them.
The Emira is the swansong for Lotus as we knew it, while also giving a hint of what is to come, while the Eletre rockets into a dramatically different realm. But the Emeya manages to combine elements of both - the dynamic edge from the Emira with the luxurious and electric influence of the Eletre - resulting in a very likeable modern sports sedan.
I’m just going to come right out and say it — I love the look of the Abarth 500e, even if the colour of our test car should be renamed Acid Trip, rather than Acid Green.
I love its perfectly proportioned, hunkered-down hot-hatch styling, the new ABARTH lettering on the body, and the new scorpion logo pasted to the side.
Basically, if you can look at the Abarth and not smile, then you need to find more fun in your life.
Inside, it’s a predictably cramped-feeling space, but it’s 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.
It may be a contemporary electric sedan, but the latest Lotus design language does have a clear visual connection to the brand’s most iconic model - the Esprit. The angular lines create a wedge-like silhouette that harks back to the 1980s Esprit, albeit with a more modern appearance.
It does also have some less glamorous angles, especially around the rear three-quarter but it certainly doesn’t fall into the trap of having the non-descript, aerodynamic shape that some EVs can.
Inside the cabin is very luxurious and premium, taking the same styling from the Eletre and carrying it over. That means a very slim instrument display and a very large central screen for the multimedia systems.
The overall level of fit and finish is impressive and gives the Emeya an unmistakably high-end feeling.
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. You need a Stephen Hawking-level intellect to figure it all out.
I was trying to turn off the Abarth Sound Generator, which I'm reliably informed is possible, but after about five minutes digging through sub-menus, I abandoned all hope.
Normally I’d spend a bit of time exploring the back seat, but frankly, once in there I didn't really feel like spending excess time back there.
The Abarth 500e is only around 3.6m long, 1.7m wide and 1.5m tall, and suffice it to say, the space is tight, and you’ll only be using the two seats in the back in an emergency, or for the smallest of kids.
The boot is pretty tiny, too, starting at 185 litres (VDA) with the rear seats up, but growing to 550L (VDA) with the split-fold rear seat lowered.
So, not much to write home about. But criticising the tiny Abarth for a lack of practicality is like criticising a horse because it can’t swim – it’s not really in its job description.
Even though the Emeya carries over much of the same interior design as the Eletre SUV, it’s still not the most practical sedan.
There are two cupholders in the centre console, a small shelf underneath the wireless smartphone charging pad and a centre console box, but aside from that, there’s no other significant storage space in the front.
The door pockets are quite narrow and while very plush, the cabin feels more like a sports car than a luxury limo.
The multimedia system, which runs through a 15.1-inch HD OLED screen looks very slick and is fairly easy to use, but does take a couple of days to get comfortable with it completely.
Where the Emeya impresses inside is with its space, the front seats are comfortable and offer good support, but in the back there’s a generous amount of room.
This is thanks to the length of the Emeya, which is why it looks a little awkward from some angles externally but it has allowed Lotus to create more internal room.
The Emeya is nearly 200mm longer than the Taycan overall and in its wheelbase, creating more legroom in the rear for passengers.
Those in the back also get access to a small screen to control the air-conditioning, recline their seats and even adjust the glass roof between opaque and clear. There’s also two USB-C ports and a pair of cupholders in the central armrest.
Ok, so bonkers thing number one: This 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 variant, 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.
Oh, and there’s what the brand calls an Abarth Sound Generator, which is all kinds of crazy, but we’ll touch on that in a moment.
The difference between the Scorpionissima and the Turismo, by the way, is style led, with Abarth decals down the sides, and a certificate of authenticity confirming yours is one of 1949 vehicles sold around the world.
There are three models in the sedan’s line-up - Emeya, Emeya S and Emeya R. We tested the middle of the range model, which is priced from $209,990 (plus on-road costs). The range begins at $189,990, while the Emeya R crowns the line-up at nearly $259,990.
For comparison, the Porsche Taycan RWD is priced from $175,100 and the Taycan 4S from $216,300, while Audi’s e-tron GT is priced from $181,784 and the RS model from just over $250,484. Which means the Emeya is certainly in the same ballpark as its key rivals, giving the brand a good chance to compete against the more established pair.
Befitting Lotus’ new premium era, standard equipment is a long list of luxuries and technology, including matrix LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, air suspension, keyless entry and start, a key card with NFC (Near Field Communication) function, four-zone climate control, eight-way power adjustable front seats and heated front seats.
There’s also a KEF 1380-watt premium sound system with 15 speakers plus a wireless charging pad as well as a 12.6-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.10-inch OLED central multimedia screen.
Stepping up to the Emeya S adds 21-inch wheels, lightweight brake discs with six-piston calipers, ambient light and sports pedals. While the Emeya R gets a unique powertrain, its own 21-inch alloys, 'Track Mode', active roll bar and rear-wheel steering.
There’s a single front-mounted electric motor providing the go here, 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.
The switch to electrification means Lotus has been able to share the same powertrains from the Eletre with the Emeya. Not that it’s a bad thing from a performance perspective, with the Emeya and Emeya S dual motors making 450kW and 710Nm.
The Emeya R gets more powerful motors - producing a seriously impressive 675kW and 985Nm - and a two-speed transmission for faster acceleration.
Lotus claims the Emeya and Emeya S can run 0-100km/h in a rapid 4.1 seconds, while the Emeya R takes just 2.7 seconds. Top speed for the Emeya is 250km/h, while the R is slightly faster at 256km/h.
Right, there’s one obvious downside to the Abarth experience, and that is that it 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 — I’ve had it locked in Scorpion Track, for example, which gives you all of the power and deactivates one-pedal driving — and you can expect those numbers to drop.
When it comes time to charge, the Abarth 500e is set up for 85kW DC fast charging, which should take you from flat to 80 percent charged in around 35 minutes, as well as a maximum 11kW AC charging, which takes just over four hours to get to fully charged. Or you can plug it into a regular socket, which means more like 15 hours to recharge.
One last caveat: I actually wasn't able to get it to charge, which curtailed my adventures a little bit. I tried three chargers, all of which conjured an error message on the screen, and after a quick call to the folks at Abarth it transpired that a quick software update is required.
All three Emeya variants share the same 102kWh lithium-ion battery and 800-volt architecture. Lotus claims the entry-grade and Emeya S models have a WLTP range of between 500-610km, while the more powerful R can manage between 435-485km. Thanks to its lower, sleeker body that’s approximately 75km and 35km more than the equivalent Eletre.
Lotus also claims the Emeya is one of the fastest charging EVs on the market today, capable of going from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in just 14 minutes when using a 400kW DC fast charger.
Remember what I said about how just looking at the Abarth should put a smile on your face? Well, driving it paints on an even bigger grin, and it starts as soon as you fire it up.
While most EVs start silently, leaving you wondering if they're on at all, the Abarth takes a different approach, instead leaning on its sound generator, modelled on the exhaust note of the 695, to give you a throaty rumble when you fire it up. It even revs! And yes, you can turn it off (apparently), but why would you?
On the road, electric drive has actually improved the Abarth experience, I reckon, because all the harshness of the drivetrain has been ironed out, instead just leaving this smooth, potent flow of power every time you plant your right foot, with no gear changes or harsh vibrations to get in the way.
The steering is predictably direct, too, and the whole vehicle feels nimble and quick to react to your inputs.
It’s honestly the kind of car that’s fun driving anywhere, be it suburban streets or twisty backroads, and despite having a couple of options parked at my house, I found myself pulled to the Abarth for all of my trips.
Downsides? The ride is firm but comfortable on most roads, but downright uncomfortable when you clang over bumps or road imperfections. You’ll have to decide if that’s a price to high to pay, but I can live with it for the trade off. And while the cabin tech looks nice, but is fiddly and annoying to use.
Finally, the range relegates the Abarth to a second car, or for those who rarely leave the city. Which is a big ask at the price point.
When I drove the Eletre I was struck by the challenges of making modern electric vehicles feel unique and special across each brand. There is a ‘generic’ level of performance that makes it hard to tell the difference between a Lotus or BMW or another EV.
That’s noticeably less of an issue with the Emeya, which may be bigger and heavier than the brand’s former sports cars, but it does have a surprisingly agile and responsive chassis when you get it out on the open road.
Lotus may be leaning on Geely for its EV knowledge, but when it comes to ride and handling, the British brand has a deep well of talent and experience to draw from.
Does it feel as agile and dynamic as the Emira or an Exige? Of course not, but it is a genuinely enjoyable and engaging car to drive. Certainly compared to its direct rivals, the Emeya has no trouble holding its own on a challenging section of winding road.
The Abarth 500e is fitted with six airbags, and decent suite of active safety stuff, like AEB, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Blind Spot Warning, auto high beam and and an attention monitor. It’s all pretty subtle, though, and it didn't bing or bong at me once, which was wonderful.
It scored four stars when tested by Euro NCAP.
Safety is another area where Lotus has made dramatic changes as part of its luxurious makeover, adding a huge amount of the latest technology. As such, all Australian Emeyas are equipped with 'Lotus Pilot Pack' which includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, driver monitoring and traffic sign information, as well as front park assist and rear park assist, to help you get into your spot.
There’s also the optional Highway Assist Pack, which includes four LIDAR while also using cameras and other sensors to allow for mild-autonomous driving capability; which is a dramatic change for a brand that was once only focused on making the driver feel fully engaged.
Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have tested the Emeya, as the safety authority rarely tests such expensive and niche models.
It’s an interesting ownership proposition, because the car is covered for three years or 150,000km, which is underwhelming and then some compared to the warranty offerings of its competition, but there is capped-price servicing, at $300 per visit, required every 12 months or 15,000km, which lasts 10 years.
The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km.
Lotus Australia doesn’t offer capped price servicing, so you’ll need to discuss the on-going maintenance costs for your Emeya with your local dealer. The recommended service interval is 24 months or 30,000km.
However, every new Lotus model is covered by a five-year/150,000km warranty for the car, with eight-year/200,000km cover for the drive battery.