The new Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio will still be petrol powered

In August 2021, Stellantis declared that Alfa Romeo would become an electric car brand in Europe, North America and China by 2027. A statement that had raised many doubts among fans all over the world.

During the Paris Motor Show, however, the now former CEO of the company, Jean-Philippe Learnedin an interview with a British magazine he returned to the issue, suggesting that combustion engines will probably remain in Alfas for longer than initially expected if the public wants it.

Long live petrol?

In Paris,impresa spoke to Auto Express, declaring that Santo Ficili, the new CEO of Alfa Romeo, “has the flexibility” to adopt a more versatile line of engines for the new Stelvio and Giulia and that if purely electric versions of the SUV and the sedan will not generate sufficient sales, both models may also return to petrol.

This will be possible thanks to the STLA Large platform, the same that for example is found under the new Dodge Charger, available both electric and with combustion engines.

Goodbye George

What is certain, however, about the Stelvio and Giulia is that they will both abandon the platform Giorgiothe same one that in recent years has also given life to the Maserati Grecale, GranTurismo and GranCabrio and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the reasons that are all to be found in the architecture: the STLA Large it is in fact labeled by Stellantis as “BEV-native” but can also accommodate combustion engines unlike the old Made in FCA base.

STLA Large, the new platform for “large” electric and thermal cars from Stellantis

Coming in 2025?

But when will we see the new cars? A new generation of Stelvio is expected to officially arrive next year, in 2025while for the new Giulia we will have to wait at least until 2026.

Also in Paris, in this regard, Learned himself declared ad Autocar that a larger SUV, then, should arrive later in 2027 as a flagship model, with North America as the key market and always based on the STLA Large platform.

However, if combustion engines were to remain in the new Alfas as promised, the Brand would be only the latest in a long list to backtrack on its ambitious goals for electric vehicles.