Alfa Romeo: First Electric in 2024, Full Range by 2027

Just arrived in the plug-in hybrid segment, the Alfa Romeo brand will shift to an all-electric lineup in just 3 years.

For the past 15 years, Alfa Romeo seems to survive more than thrive. With only two models in its catalog, the Italian firm cannot compete with the plethora of options offered by its German competitors. Even Jaguar has three times as many vehicles, including the sports car desperately missing (F-Type) and a more popular sedan (XE).

First the plug-in hybrid

Exactly, and years after abandoning the compact Giulietta, Alfa Romeo is once again developing its entry-level model. The Tonale SUV, the first new model in 5 years, finally fills the glaring gap. It will compete with the Jaguar E-Type, Volvo XC40, or the German duo BMW X1/Audi Q3.

But is it still a sign of lag? The Stelvio played on the SUV trend, 20 years after Mercedes (ML in 1997) and 10 years after Audi (Q7 in 2006). The first Alfa hybrid plug-in will arrive next October, after the war, where Audi believed in the A3 e-tron in 2012, and in a year 2022 when this type of powertrain becomes contested.

It still remains a good fiscal niche, avoiding the emissions tax and reducing the average CO₂ emissions rate in face of EU strict regulations.

First Alfa Romeo electric vehicle in 2024

Another missed opportunity by Alfa Romeo, and which will shape the future of automobiles: electric is still completely absent. It will finally arrive in 2024, confirms Jean-Philippe Imparato to AutomotiveNews, the recent CEO and former head of Peugeot.

It will be a smaller SUV than the Tonale, roughly 4.35/4.40 meters long. It will use the e-CMP platform from the Citroën ë-C4 (and the upcoming small Jeep), and will be manufactured in Tychy, Poland, at the current factory producing the thermal Fiat 500.

Electrically, it will only be partly so, as it will be built on a thermal platform to retain gasoline or hybrid versions. Rumors suggest it might be called Alfa Romeo Brennero. But there’s still time before naming this battery messiah, and before discovering its range, power, and prices.

A fully electric lineup by 2027

After the compact SUV, more akin to the 2008 than the Tonale, the CEO promises the real first 100% electric car. Meaning it will offer only this type of powertrain, with no thermal or hybrid version.

In 2025, this Alfa Romeo will also be the first to leverage the Stellantis Group platform, the STLA Medium. The pace will then be one new model per year, and “all models will be 100% electric”, ensuring the quick replacement of the remaining combustion models in the catalog. Imparato states that the 3-liter twin-turbo V6 engines in the Stelvio and Giulia will not survive beyond 2027.

This year, 2027, will thus mark the launch of an entirely 100% electric Alfa Romeo range worldwide. Why such a rapid transition? “We cannot afford to keep two separate production lines,” admits the French boss, “so we have to make a choice.” And it will be electric. As for the Stelvio and Giulia, launched in 2016-2017, their replacements will be electric, based on the STLA Large platform.

The last model, “scheduled for 2027-2028,” is not yet decided. Imparato and Alfa Romeo are still hesitating between a large crossover for the North American market and a compact sedan similar in size to the Giulietta.

More details will be shared on March 1st, during Stellantis’ strategic plan presentation.

Where does Alfa Romeo stand within Stellantis?

Within the Stellantis family, Alfa Romeo is one of many brands announcing a pivot. Here’s the group’s schedule: DS in 2024, Lancia in 2026, Chrysler and Opel in 2028, Peugeot, Fiat, Dodge, and Ram in 2030.

The only remaining brands are Jeep, Maserati, and Citroën. The Chevron brand will play the resistance, like Dacia within Renault, aiming to keep a low entry price.

But it’s just a matter of years; electric could become more competitive than thermal long before 2030.

Also read: Renault Megane E-Tech Electric: Info, price, and photos of the compact