Jean-Philippe Imparato, now former CEO of Alfa Romeo, had announced it recently in one of his last interviews. Now he reiterates: “The new generations of Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia might not be exclusively electric.” It’s therefore likely that they will also come to market with combustion engines, as a “mid-course change” is not ruled out.
Alfa Romeo: hybrid versions of new generation Stelvio and Giulia increasingly likely
The main reason is obviously linked to the current situation of the electric market, which is slightly down compared to last year. It would therefore be too big a gamble to focus exclusively on electric models, as demonstrated by the Junior‘s sales data. The new entry-level B-SUV has reached 10,000 orders in Europe, with about 25% representing the electric version. Although this is great news for the zero-emission version, it shows how hybrid versions are still more popular.
In a recent interview with AutoExpress Magazine, Imparato explained: “If the current global ecosystem doesn’t change, Stelvio and Giulia will be 100% electric. If I see that the situation is changing, or it’s not what I want, it’s not a problem to adapt with alternative powertrains.”
There’s a possibility of MHEV or PHEV versions coming. Remember that, besides the electric versions, including the Quadrifoglio which will have 1,000 HP, there will also be a range extender version, which will bring the range up to 1,100 km on a single charge. According to Imparato‘s words, the new generations of Stelvio and Giulia have been designed to be multi-energy, since a sudden “mid-course change” seems impossible, especially just a few years from launch.
According to latest rumors, the new Stelvio and Giulia could use 48V mild hybrids. The main solutions appear to be either a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 280 HP or the powertrains used by Stellantis in the American market. The latter seems more likely, considering that both models will also be sold in the United States.