Alfa Romeo open to electric performance cars despite 'love' for engines

Alfa Romeo has a long history of high-performance internal combustion-powered cars, but it’s willing to explore the world of high-performance electric vehicles (EVs) if they can capture the automaker’s Italian charm.

The brand’s legacy was formed through a plethora of iconic cars for both the road and racetrack, a tradition that has continued to this day with its high-performance Quadrifoglio sub-brand – all without hybrid or electric power.

Despite that, Alfa recently took a significant step into the electrified world with its first-ever EV, the Junior, a light SUV developed by leveraging a platform from parent company Stellantis, which also underpins other small EVs such as the Jeep Avenger.

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We’re unlikely to see a full-fat Quadrifoglio variant of the Junior, and while there’s a higher-output Veloce version of the Junior EV overseas, it’s still a far cry from something Alfa would consider a proper performance car. Previous reports of electric Quadrifoglio cars are also yet to come to fruition.

When asked at the Junior’s Australian launch whether future performance Alfas would be electric, the brand’s head of product Mario Lamagna said: “This is the question of the decade”.

“We, of course, love thermal engines, and we are involved with a number of V6s… we are, for sure, looking always at thermal engines, but with the future technologies, you can do a lot of interesting stuff, also with electric powertrains,” he told media.

“So there is not an answer to your question that is a fair one.”

Only two model variants are currently sold under Alfa Romeo’s Quadrifoglio performance sub-brand. These are the mid-size Giulia Quadrifoglio sedan and the related Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV, both of which are equipped with a 2.9-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 producing 375kW of power and 600Nm of torque – pushing the Giulia from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.9 seconds.

For context, the hottest EV currently in the Alfa catalogue is the Junior Elettrica Veloce, which offers up to 207kW and 345Nm, and a claimed sprint time of 5.9 seconds. The larger plug-in hybrid Tonale Veloce small SUV, meanwhile, offers 208kW and can get from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.2 seconds.

Similarly, Mr Lamagna maintained it would be important to offer sporty ride and handling characteristics in an Alfa Romeo EV, while also delivering powertrain performance that resonates with enthusiasts.

“The point is that it really depends on the actual performance of the car,” he said. “If you are able to do something that drives well and that kicks in very nice, I am open to both.”

In any case, the tightening of global emissions regulations could force Alfa’s hand. Europe is planning to ban the sale of new combustion-powered vehicles from 2035, while new-vehicle CO2 emissions are set to become increasingly limited in Australia under the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) over the next five years.

“It’s very hard to tell what you can do at the end, because for thermal engines now we have a lot of concerns with the CO2 emissions,” Mr Lamagna added.

“We have a lot of regulation in Europe and for sure also [in Australia], so it’s not easy to develop or launch high-performance engines in the second part of this decade.”

Of course, high-performance EVs aren’t a new thing. Hyundai has made significant strides with its Ioniq 5 N electric SUV and Ioniq 6 N electric sedan, while Porsche also offers the impressive Taycan Turbo GT, and Audi the RS e-tron GT.

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