What the long run holds for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia

The subsequent Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio will doubtless be electrical. 

The mid-sized sedan and SUV had been revealed in 2016, and given a mid-life refresh earlier this 12 months, however neither options even mild-hybrid expertise. 

Alfa Romeo head of product, Daniel Guzzafame, informed Australian media it’s getting tougher to promote automobiles just like the Giulia and Stelvio in some European markets already as a result of large taxes on high-emitting autos. 

“In sure markets now, you can’t ship a automobile [that emits] 200g/km of CO2. Most individuals wouldn’t purchase it,” Mr Guzzafame informed media.

“Why? As a result of there are taxes on it, as a result of persons are not free to maneuver round in that automobile anymore. In France, the Stelvio 280hp and Tonale GME are paying taxes which can be [beyond] what persons are desirous to spend,” he stated.

One doable resolution is to develop a plug-in hybrid model, which places the automobile right into a extra beneficial tax bracket and makes it simpler to promote in markets similar to France. 

However the rear-wheel drive Giorgio platform beneath the Stelvio and Giulia wasn’t designed to help electrification, and redeveloping it could be a big value for a model underneath strain from the highest to ship a revenue. 

With the 2027 deadline for pure-electric energy looming massive, Mr Guzzafame confirmed Alfa Romeo received’t be placing a PHEV within the present Stelvio and Giulia. 

“If you wish to have a PHEV, then we have to utterly retool all the [platform],” he stated.

The model “might have” fitted a 48V mild-hybrid system to the Giulia and Stelvio at its mid-life refresh, however decided the CO2 emissions reductions wasn’t vital sufficient to justify the rise it’d require to the sticker worth.

And given the model has confirmed 2024 will see the launch of the final new Alfa Romeo with internal-combustion, Mr Guzzafame stated the subsequent Giulia and Stelvio will “likely” be electrical. 

As some rivals transfer away from conventional passenger automobiles, Alfa Romeo has confirmed it received’t abandon its roots and kill the Giulia. 

“You want a automobile,” Mr Guzzafame stated, talking concerning the core fashions that’ll drive Alfa Romeo’s future.

“You want a Giulia, you want a Stelvio, you want a Tonale. Then you definately want one thing larger.”