Alfa’s plan for a baby SUV
We reveal plans for pure-electric model due in 2022
“The merger between FCA and PSA gives Alfa access to all it needs to get a compact crossover to market quickly”
Alfa Romeo’s third SUV is due to go on sale within two years Set to be based on PSA platform, with petrol and electric options
ALFA Romeo has refocused its future product plan and will launch a new baby crossover designed to rival the Nissan Juke in the next two years. The crossover will also be the Italian company’s first model to be offered with the option of fully electric power, official documents have revealed.
The firm was relatively late bringing its first SUV, the Stelvio, to market in 2017 and since then Alfa has yet to broaden its SUV offering. Aware that it is losing out on valuable market share and profits, Alfa is refocusing its SUV plans and will bring two smaller models to market in the next 24 months. The first will be a version of the Tonale concept (right), first seen at last year’s Geneva Motor Show, but a smaller electric crossover (above) will follow.
The recent merger between Alfa’s owner, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), and Groupe PSA, which owns Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall, gives Alfa Romeo access to all of the necessary mechanical running gear to get a compact, fully electric crossover to market quickly. PSA’s strength in developing electric vehicles was one of the key benefits FCA identified in striking a deal.
While unconfirmed, it’s almost certain that the future crossover will be based upon the Compact Modular Platform (CMP) that is used as a basis for the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa-e. Currently the architecture can accommodate a 50kWh lithium-ion battery pack and one electric motor that drives the front axle for a maximum range of around 200 miles. For a compact B-segment crossover it’s unlikely Alfa will change the set-up of the architecture to accommodate four-wheel drive, given the car’s expected use as urban transport. This will also help keep the cost of the vehicle down.
As well as a fully electric option, Alfa will offer conventional petrol engines for those not ready to make the jump to a full EV. The platform is originally PSA-engineered, so it’s likely that the 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine from the current Corsa and 208 line-ups will