Summary
- Next-gen Giulia to offer internal combustion & electric power, a shift due to softening EV demand.
- Alfa’s flexibility in propulsion strategy aims to offer choice to customers while sticking to electrification as the ultimatum.
- Alfa plans to maintain its driver-centric focus, emphasizing handling & driving experience in future vehicles.
The next-gen Alfa Romeo Giulia will apparently be sticking with internal combustion power with the optional choice of all-electric propulsion, according to the latest report from AutoExpressUK. The publication reportedly confirmed the development after recently speaking with Stellantis Europe’s CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato, who said that the softening market for EVs made Stellantis and Alfa rethink and reassess its electric vehicle initiative and future product plans.
Initially, Stellantis and Alfa planned to convert most of Alfa Romeo’s near-future lineup to electric vehicles, including the Giulia compact sedan. But because demand for EVs lightened up, forcing many automakers to backpedal and rethink its electric vehicle initiatives, the Italian automaker will also follow suit and is planning to stick to internal combustion with a secondary offering of EV powertrains for the next-gen Giulia.
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The Next-Gen Giulia To Be Offered In Both ICE And EV Form
Although Alfa Romeo is adjusting to the market, the company still isn’t giving up on electrification. Similar to other automakers, the automaker plans to offer the Giulia with the choice of either internal combustion power or all-electric power, in an attempt to offer customers flexibility and choice, rather than forcing them to adopt all-electric power.
It’s the latest trend, in addition to offering gas-electric hybrid powertrains, as automakers realized that giving buyers a choice rather than forcing change upon them is an easier path forward in this transition away from dependency on fossil fuels and towards electric propulsion. This is particularly in light of the continuous struggles with battery technology and driving range, reducing charging times, and inconsistent reliability with charging infrastructure.
“As we are blind in terms of changes in regulation, my only answer is that I have the means to adapt. We will assess where we are. If the current global ecosystem does not change, [Giulia] will be 100 percent electric,” Imparato told AutoExpressUK in their exclusive interview. “If I see it is changing, or that I’m not matching what I want, it is not a problem to adjust with alternative powertrains.”
Originally, Alfa Romeo planned to make the Giulia all-electric by 2027 with its platform mate, the Stelvio crossover SUV, also following suit. Both will utilize Stellantis’ newest STLA Large modular architecture, though thanks to the architecture’s flexibility, the company will be able to produce ICE and electric versions of those models.
Alfa Still Isn’t Giving Up On Electrification
Even though Alfa plans to offer the next-gen Giulia with the choice of either ICE or electric power, Alfa still plans to stick with Stellantis’ overall electrification initiative, setting goals such as a maximum driving range of 497 miles for the all-electric Giulia variant, which is expected to come with a choice of battery packs, ranging in output from 85 kilowatt/hour to up to 118 kilowatt/hour.
Also speaking with Santo Ficili, Imparato’s planned successor, Ficili dislosed that the company has to remain flexible with its propulsion strategy by being able to adjust to market demand and conditions.
The Giulia And Other Alfas Will Remain Driver’s Cars
In addition to providing an update with the next-gen Giulia’s plans, Imparato said that Alfa plans to keep its cars very driver and enthusiast centric, as the cars have always been. Alfa’s have been known to be very excellent handling and driving vehicles, particularly as ones geared towards driving enthusiasts and regardless of which direction the company goes in terms of propulsion, he wants to keep Alfas very driver-centric.
“I would love to have this ‘light is right’ tagline for Alfa Romeo. Even if I have one tonne of battery behind me, I want to convey an idea of lightness, even if I am electrified,” Imparato continued. “It’s a fundamental of Alfa Romeo, and we are building this new range based on that. But it’s not enough. We are working on the vibe you will feel when you drive an Alfa Romeo in 2025.”
When asked about the future of the high-po Giulia Quadrifoglio variant, Imparato didn’t disclose much, other than that plans are very much still a work in progress for the model. The company will continue to research, study, and develop the potential powertrain offerings for the Quadrifoglio, which has the potential of including a gas-electric hybrid system that could really ring out the potential of the STLA Large platform.
Such performance potential could include a 0-60 time of around 2.0 seconds, and even the possibility of two versions, an all-electric model and a gas-electric hybrid versions, similar to the standard Giulia. The gas-electric Giulia Quadrifoglio may potentially feature a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid system with a twin-turbocharged gasoline V-6 as the major ICE component.
Source: AutoExpressUK
