Finally A Performance Electric Abarth

[icheatatscrabble]

Just seen this link via Instagram - 240bhp.
That’s more like it…. (although I do prefer an engine and the sound of one).
https://www.media.stellantis.com/em...dE7Qdpz9VfS79gyjhwiZjf2Twa6KjFzy9JCuH_pLUw3yc

 

[AndyRKett]

Just seen this link via Instagram - 240bhp.
That’s more like it….

But you have to remember that 240bhp on an electric car is very different to 240hp in a petrol car, also there is that huge mass of batteries it has to haul about, so they tend to need more power to perform like a normal car. Quite a lot of electric cars if you look about have 200+ hp.

 

[StevenRB45]

It'll depend what they do with the battery, if they do what they did with current Abarth 500 and keep the existing pack and just ignore the fact the range is ridic. The Abarth 500e weighs 20kg more than a none Abarth one.

It's likely to be a sub 1600kg car and be pretty handy (standard 600 is low 1500s). Yes an awful lot of electric cars have 200 bhp but an awful lot of electric cars weigh 2 tonnes or more.

If you take something like an ID4 GTX..it has an on paper impressive 295bhp but that's set against a kerb weight of 2.2 tonnes giving a power to weight ratio similar to a Golf GTD, it's only saved from being slow by not having a gearbox.

 

[varesecrazy]

As I posted a year ago..

The Abarth in current production had the same Italian built power system as the stock 500e,

I asked if it was getting PSA kit.. It wasnt

However IF this is another 30% gain in power that is looking more likely,

220 in 2024, from the perspective of a 2019 petrol variants 180 doesn't look unachievable,
as stated - its just using more battery.. So reducing the Range

 

[AndyRKett]

It does depend how they're calculating their HP, they can just be taking the KW value of the motor and converting it. The power is a product of Torque x RPM so you would only get that maximum power with the car at full speed, lower down the rev range in a car with only one gear, it will not be producing anything like 240hp

 

[StevenRB45]

It does depend how they're calculating their HP, they can just be taking the KW value of the motor and converting it. The power is a product of Torque x RPM so you would only get that maximum power with the car at full speed, lower down the rev range in a car with only one gear, it will not be producing anything like 240hp

This applies to all cars though..we always quote peak figure the reality is in the vast majority of RPM ranges it doesn't generate that.

One of the reasons small turbo petrol cars are quite nippy is that although the peak figure is quite low...the peak torque lasts for 3000rpm rather than a few hundred rpm as was the more usual way.

 

[AndyRKett]

This applies to all cars though..we always quote peak figure the reality is in the vast majority of RPM ranges it doesn't generate that.

One of the reasons small turbo petrol cars are quite nippy is that although the peak figure is quite low...the peak torque lasts for 3000rpm rather than a few hundred rpm as was the more usual way.

My point is that power is delivered very differently.

So you can't compare like for like between a petrol engine with 200hp and an electric motor with 200hp they behave very differently. as an example an electric car may out accelerate a petrol car with more power, but the petrol car would leave it behind once both cars reach their top speeds, which is why some electric cars are now coming with a 2 speed gearbox.

I think the bog standard iD3 is something like 200hp the iD4 GTX is something like 300hp. A tesla model 3 I think starts at about 240hp and goes up in to over 400hp in dual motor cars.

So if they put a 240hp motor in the fiat 600e and slap an Abarth badge on it, is it going to be doing enough to make it feel like a fast car or a sporty car in a world where all the other electric cars around it, are already producing similar figures. they will undoubtedly need to weight it down with a bigger battery to get the same sort of range, which the added weight will slow it down further.
240hp in something like an Abarth 595 would be a rocket ship, but is it going to feel anything like that in an electric version

 

[StevenRB45]

The vast majority of Abarths are not fast cars...merely nippy there's probably 3 140bhp Abarth on the road for every one of the higher powered ones.

It'll be more about whether or not it's actually fun...rather than being the usual cow in a tracksuit most electric fast cars are until you get into the higher price brackets.

Also they don't need to really load it down with battery dependent on the motor design. Previously they increased the power of the 208 by 20bhp without harming range at all with a better designed motor. If they are more inclined to use some more fancy materials in the motor it may be to it have a choice of "go flat out for 100 miles or cruise for 200".

Given they are fitting from the sounds of it cut slicks effectively I doubt they are too bothered about total range as they'd be fitting the god awful wooden eco tyres most electric cars have if they were..

 

[s130]

Well I just don't get this HP performance crap.

My Uno SX (lowered and stiffened suspension with 185 tyres) with techically 68 BHP at the flywheel and around 45 at the wheels could lap Goodwood at just shy of 80MPH. The fandangled 130+ BHP Caterhams were no challenge in the bends and many just stuffed themselves into the kitty litter or worse still the Armco, AND costed the rest of us track time whilst they were recovered and made some excuses about mechanical failures. In most cases "*ollocks" and the "loose nut behind the steering wheel" is a more appropriate reason.

My Tipo with 75BHP could tow our 1000kg caravan from the UK to Italy and up into the mountains/Dolomites and back.

If you ever go to a proper "Sprint" or "Race" or "Hill Climb" or "Rally" or "Drag Race" event then you will find competant drivers totally tuning their vehicles for the task of beating others in whatever "race" challenge they have. I have no problem with this. You will also find attentive learners embarking on a *long and steady* journey to mast the craft of performance driving.

On the other hand we have people who want to pimp their vehicles from 80 BHP to 100+ BHP etc. but have no clue. Same goes with "I must have LED lights" etc.

There are people who build magnificant "custom cars". These are beauiful to look at, sound good, many go well, etc. and these guys and gals are in a different league and mindset and I appreciate their love and passion.

I could boost my 500X from 140 BHP to 200 BHP but why? 140 is more than adequate, tows well and I'm not putting the vehicle into real motor sport.

When I was doing motor sport I was badgered by a work colleague (a carter) to get him to a private Goodwood Track Day. He drove an Elise. I suggested he come out in my Uno with me to learn the track and lines. No he was not up to that. So I said OK you are not going out on your own till you do a few laps with me in your car. You can drive but you must follow my instructions. He agreed.

Before leaving the pit lane he mumbled something about not being worried about any ...... he knew how to control his car. When cleared to leave the pit lane he was like a bat out of hell. Completely missed the entrance line to Madgwick. Ford Water went by till he completely screwed up St. Mary's and was lucky to not trash his car. I managed to tame him down and he took Lavant more sensibly and then Woodcote.

Well guess what. Later he hit the kitty litter at Woodcote (I think twice) and got a speeding ticket from the Sussex Police on his way home!

Typical male Speed, Power, macho, ...... crap when they could not possibly even control a pram or supermarket trolley.

What hurt me most was that I felt respnsible for bringing a "prick" to a prestigeous private event. Thankfully the organiser was quite well aware that these dickheads occasionally pop up and he had be a passive victim himself in the past.