Alfa Romeo is the latest car brand backing away from an all-electric future—and its CEO is being refreshingly blunt about why.
“The world is not ready everywhere.”
That quote came directly from Alfa Romeo CEO Santo Ficili during an interview with Autocar, where he admitted global EV adoption simply isn’t moving at the same pace in every market. He’s not wrong.
While Europe and China continue pushing hard toward electrification, plenty of markets still face major EV barriers, from weak charging infrastructure to high vehicle prices and unreliable power grids.
Alfa Is No Longer Going Fully Electric
Alfa Romeo originally planned to become an EV-only brand, but that’s no longer happening.
Instead, the next-generation Alfa Romeo Giulia and Alfa Romeo Stelvio will now offer multiple powertrains:
- Internal combustion engines
- Hybrid variants
- Plug-in hybrids
- Fully electric versions
According to Ficili, the goal is simple: give customers what they actually want, not what regulators or corporate roadmaps assume they want.
“We need to find a way to satisfy the needs of our customers,” he said.
The New Models Will Ride On Stellantis’ STLA Large Platform
Both upcoming models will use Stellantis’ STLA Large platform architecture.
While it was originally designed with EVs in mind, the platform can also support hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains.
That flexibility is becoming incredibly valuable as automakers realize going all-in on EVs too quickly can backfire.
Expect Bigger Cars And More Power
The next-generation Giulia and Stelvio are also expected to grow in size.
That means the Alfa Romeo Giulia may move closer to rivals like the BMW 5 Series rather than the BMW 3 Series.
Meanwhile, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio could grow beyond current competitors like the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC.
Entry-level models will likely use turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid setups, while plug-in hybrids may pair a gas engine with rear-mounted electric motors.
Quadrifoglio Models Aren’t Dead
Good news for enthusiasts: Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio models aren’t disappearing.
Future performance versions are expected to offer both plug-in hybrid and EV options.
Reports suggest output could exceed 670 horsepower, while some rumors claim top trims could approach 1,000 horsepower.
That remains unconfirmed, but it shows Alfa still wants performance credibility in an electrified world.
Alfa Is Saying What Many Automakers Quietly Believe
This is bigger than just Alfa Romeo.
More automakers are quietly admitting that EV adoption isn’t unfolding the way they predicted five years ago.
Charging infrastructure remains inconsistent, battery costs are still high, and many buyers simply aren’t ready to give up gasoline engines yet.
Alfa Romeo isn’t abandoning EVs, but they refuse to bet the entire company on a transition that clearly isn’t moving at the same speed everywhere.