If the “regular” Abarth models just don’t quite tickle your fancy, or you’re in the market for a compact, quick and hilariously fun electric hatchback, the 500e Scorpionissima might be just the car. Taking all the best bits from Abarth’s usual quirky and sporty theme, the 500e adds a modern interior, ultra-torquey electric motor, some vibrant new colour options and even an “engine noise” setting. This, as you might expect, pumps a rumbly exhaust note (modelled on the Record Monza exhaust available for the 695) through rear-mounted speakers which sit where you'd usually find conventional exhaust pipes.

The electric motor found in the 500e produces 150bhp and reaches 62mph in 7 seconds – impressive figures for a front-wheel drive hatchback with these dimensions. Abarth have also introduced various new driving modes, allowing the driver to fully enhance the sporty feel of the car, or calm it down to create a very comfortable, usable daily driver. If your preference is to tackle the B-roads in the 500e, the new stiffer sport suspension setup improves both the ride quality and cornering ability, helping to create the authentic Abarth driving feel, even when not powered by a combustion engine.

With the electric motor becoming more and more common in today’s automotive market, the 500e sets out to prove that just because we’re losing the petrol engine, we aren’t losing the fun. After all, Abarth’s mission with all of its cars is just that – and the electric 500 does not compromise on it one bit.