Alfa Romeo will launch a fully electric SUV in 2022

Alfa Romeo may be preparing its first electric vehicle. This new Italian car could hit the roads in 2022 and will be the smallest of a trio of SUVs aimed at returning the brand to the premium segment. This new compact electric SUV will have dimensions similar to those of the Audi Q2 and will be crucial for boosting sales. The parent company of Alfa Romeo, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, FCA, has been lagging behind in the electrification of its cars, so the merger, which is still pending, with PSA could bring substantial benefits.

Alfa Romeo currently does not offer an electrified powertrain option, but early next year it will launch a mid-size SUV, called Tonale, which will be offered as a plug-in hybrid. In 2018, Alfa Romeo already had in mind bringing back the 8C and the GTV, as well as a new Giulia. At the end of last year, its strategy had been reduced to just four main models.

Once the old hatchback of the Giulietta family is retired later this year, Alfa Romeo will sell only the Giulia and the Stelvio. The Tonale will be on the road in 2021, followed by the smallest electric SUV arriving in 2022, completing the four-model lineup. Alfa Romeo will rely on the two smallest SUVs to achieve its goal of selling 400,000 cars annually. According to the Italian brand itself, the lines of the new electric model will not be identical to those of the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

A spokesperson for the Italian brand has assured that “the family feel will be respected, we have style themes across the whole range, but we do not want to copy and paste the line, because each segment has its own personality and customers are different in terms of age and expectations.” While the plug-in hybrid powertrain in the Tonale will use FCA’s existing hardware, shared with the Jeep Renegade, the Alfa Romeo electric is expected to be the first FCA car to make use of technology obtained from the merger with PSA.

The new electric model will sit on a version of the PSA eCMP platform, on which seven zero-emission models will be based for the coming year. These already include electric versions of the Peugeot 208, the Peugeot 2008, the Opel Corsa and the DS 3 Crossback.

What will the new electric SUV from Alfa Romeo be called?

The Peugeot e-2008, similar in size to the future electric Alfa Romeo, uses a single motor to drive its front wheels. It will also have a 50kWh battery. However, the specifications of the Alfa Romeo offering will be different, due not only to how quickly electric technology is developing, but also to the brand’s focus on performance.

Speaking about the approach of the first electric Alfa Romeo, the spokesperson added that “when we launched Giulia and Stelvio, we were recognized as a sporty brand, due to their incredible driving. We are trying to communicate that our cars are not only sporty, but can also be driven comfortably, something customers would not previously have expected from Alfa Romeo, to help us attract a larger customer base.”

“For electrification, we will stay consistent with the sportiness of Alfa Romeo and will use electric motors for a performance approach. We are looking to meet the expectations of a Alfa Romeo customer, but also [those of] customers who seek comfort.” “The B-segment is probably the best solution for range and use, and the charging infrastructure will be better [by the time we launch the car].”

The spokesperson also pointed out that “we will see the evolution of the market quite quickly. We are seeing different approaches in the market, some successful, others not. We have the opportunity to see what moves forward and react appropriately.” “The idea is not to make fake sounds to recreate an internal combustion engine, because we will not have fake things inside Alfa.” The manufacturer itself has the idea of creating a specific sound to generate excitement for both the driver and the car. One of the advantages of an electric car is the silence; if the customer wants to drive that way, perfect, but they will also have the possibility of an aggressive mode.”