Abarth ditches ICE cars and hybrids

The renowned Italian customizer is shifting its priorities to EV tuning and won’t be tuning any petroleum vehicles any time soon, largely due to the strict emission standards in Europe.

The corresponding statement has been made by Gaetano Thorel, the head of Fiat and Abarth on the Old Continent. According to him, ICE car buyers are already facing prohibitive road taxes in the EU, so the demand is low, especially for low-end driver-focused models.

Thorel remains optimistic about the fate of Abarth moving forward. He believes that EVs can be made to be as exciting and engaging as traditional cars – they just need some extra work to get there. It helps that they end up cheaper than the ICE cars thanks to tax incentives, too.