A lot of rejigging is expected to happen in Alfa Romeo’s lineup moving forward. The company is focusing and restructuring its portfolio to get back into the spotlight. The Italian brand has said that it plans to have just four models in the near future. Three of those include the Giulia, the Stelvio, the newly-launched Tonale PHEV, and a product that is yet to be announced. There isn’t a lot known about this mysterious fourth product, but Autocar reports that it will be the smallest SUV in the lineup and also the brand’s first EV.

Will This Product Put Alfa Romeo Back On The Map?

Compact crossovers play a big role in boosting a company’s sales and Alfa Romeo has come around in believing it.

This will be the entry-level SUV in the company’s lineup and will complete Alfa Romeo’s four-product lineup. FCA’s merger with PSA Group has resulted in things slowing down in the former’s electrification department. But, given the technical know-how that PSA brings to the table, FCA will certainly benefit from it.

Later this year, Alfa Romeo will retire the Giulietta hatch, thus leaving the company with just two products for a few months – the Giulia and Stelvio. The Tonale plug-in hybrid will hit the dealerships sometime next year, followed by this small electric SUV in 2022.

The Tonale, with its PHEV powertrain, will provide Alfa Romeo a good idea on how to proceed with the pure EV the following year. If planned and executed well, the product could be highly successful and put the brand back on the map.

What Will This New EV Be Like?

There isn’t a lot known about it yet, but Alfa Romeo has said that the EV won’t be a mini-Tonale and will feature distinct styling. A company spokesperson said, “A family feel will be respected – we have style themes across the range – but we don’t want to do a copy and paste across the line-up, because every segment has its own personality, and customers are different in terms of age and expectations.”

He further added that “For electric, we will stay consistent to Alfa Romeo’s sportiness and use electric motors for a performance approach. We’re looking to achieve an Alfa Romeo customer’s expectations but also customers looking for comfort.”

Alfa Romeo is already reaping the benefits of the merger with PSA. The electric SUV will be underpinned by Peugeot’s eCMP architecture, which also underpins the electric versions of the 208, 2008, the DS3, and the Vauxhall/Opel Corsa. This upcoming SUV will be roughly the size of the electric 2008 or the Audi Q2.

The electric 2008 comes with a single motor setup that powers the front wheels. It makes 136 horses and 192 pound-feet of torque. The car is packed with a 50-kWh battery pack that comes with a WLTP rating of 192 miles.

Peugeot 2008 specifications

The Vauxhall/Opel Corsa, which is also based on the same platform and 50-kWh battery pack delivers 209 miles of range on a single charge as per WLTP ratings. The publication also mentioned that the new Alfa Romeo EV will come with a sound emulator that will make artificial sounds to cover up for the electric powertrain’s silence.

Final Thoughts

I believe Alfa Romeo has got a nice mix planned here. Introducing a compact, inexpensive crossover will bring in the numbers for the company. Launching it as an all-electric vehicle makes the deal even sweeter, considering how fast the industry is transitioning towards EVs.

The plan to bring out an electric crossover will pay long term dividends for Alfa Romeo considering the way the crossover market is maturing. The company has had only premium products till now and nothing that can bring big sales volumes to the company. A new crossover can be a game-changing product, especially in the electric guise.

What are your thoughts on Alfa Romeo’s plan to introduce a small electric SUV? Share them with us in the comments section below.