2024-03-11 22:14:01
US and EU elections could affect future Alfa Romeo electric cars.
CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato hopes to launch a large, sporty SUV based on the Ferrari Purosangue that will target the US and China in 2027, but geopolitical and market trends may prompt the Italian company to assemble a small hatchback instead .
In the US, a return to the White House for Donald Trump could mean delaying or freezing plans for the US to ban internal combustion cars from 2035. Trump could also reverse President Joe Biden’s incentives to sell US-made electric cars.
The new European Parliament could also revise the plan requiring sales of only zero-emission cars from 2035.
That could hamper future Alfa Romeo models that are intended to be mostly all-electric, including a planned fastback SUV on the STLA Large platform, the brand’s CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato told reporters at the Alfa Romeo museum near Milan.
Alfa Romeo’s product plan has been frozen until 2026. A decision will be made before the end of the year whether the new product for 2027 will be a large SUV aimed mainly at North America and China, or a small electric hatchback focused on Europe. Imparato believes the large SUV is crucial to helping Alfa Romeo achieve its goal of generating 40 percent of sales outside Europe, up from 18 percent now.
On April 10, Alfa Romeo will present its first fully electric car, the small crossover Milano. It will go on sale in September in markets where demand for electric cars is strong, including France, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.
A 48-volt mild hybrid version will be launched by the end of the year, aimed at markets where electrification is lagging behind, such as Italy and Spain, as well as Bulgaria.