Alfa Romeo, the famed Italian brand that started its American renaissance almost a decade ago, will launch a large E-segment all-electric SUV in the United States to compete with the Tesla Model X and other zero-emissions models from rival companies.
The Stellantis-owned Italian carmaker will design the new SUV in Italy with US customers in mind, according to The Drive, who spoke with the brand’s North American chief, Larry Dominique.
Set to be launched in 2027, when Alfa Romeo will no longer sell internal combustion-engined vehicles, the large electric SUV will have an interior size, features, packaging, and tech “ideal for North America.”
Gallery: 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale in US Specification
“By 2027, Alfa Romeo will no longer be selling ICE to anyone,” Dominique told The Drive. “The fastest-growing premium vehicle in the U.S.—Tesla—is kicking everyone’s ass. We think of ourselves as different from the others. We just don’t want to blend in. We’re not a gray BMW… Our customers tell us they buy Alfas because ‘You’re not that.’”
Alfa Romeo returned to North America in 2014 after a 20-year hiatus and is currently selling the Giulia sedan, which competes with the likes of the BMW 3 Series, the Stelvio SUV, which is in the same segment as the Mercedes-Benz GLC, and the Tonale crossover, which is using the same underpinnings as the Dodge Hornet.
The Italian brand says that the United States will be the main market for the upcoming large all-electric SUV, with 70 percent of sales estimated to come from this part of the world.
Details about the underpinnings of the Tesla Model X rival are non-existent at the moment, but we can make an educated guess and say that it will probably sit on the STLA Large platform developed by Stellantis, which is aimed at performance vehicles that measure between roughly 189-216.5 inches (4,800-5,500 millimeters)
According to the early specs released by the American car group back in 2021, models based on the STLA Large platform can accept battery packs that range between 101-118 kilowatt-hours, delivering up to 500 miles (800 kilometers) of range. At the same time, the maximum power output should be between 125-330 kilowatts (168-443 horsepower).
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