New Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV may be set to get petrol power after all

The all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio large SUV is still on track for a 2025 reveal, but while it will be “100 per cent electric” at launch, outgoing boss Jean-Philippe Imparato admitted market demand could see the company offer alternative fuels later down the line.

An official statement issued earlier this year confirmed plans for a new Alfa Romeo Stelvio to be built at the Cassino factory in Italy, with a debut in the second half of 2025. That’s the facility that already produces the existing version of the family SUV, alongside the Giulia saloon and Maserati Grecale.

Alfa says the Stelvio will be the first model in Europe to use Stellantis’s EV-focused STLA Large platform. It has not issued any specs for the car, but we already know that the architecture beneath it can support the rear and four-wheel drive layouts that the Stelvio is likely to use. It can also accommodate battery capacities of between 85kWh and 118kWh, although the Stelvio’s positioning and pricing means it may not reach the larger of those sizes.

Alfa does say, however, that the Stelvio will make use of STLA Large’s 800-volt electrics (it supports this and 400V), allowing rapid charging speeds of up to 4.5kWh per minute, along with active anti-roll bars and terrain detection. Inside, it will also feature a curved dashboard display with over-the-air updates – features called STLA Brain and STLA SmartCockpit.

But it seems (mild-hybrid) petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains are not out of the question. Talking specifically about Stelvio – as well as the closely-related Giulia – Imparato admitted his successor Santo Ficili “has the flex” to implement a multi-fuel approach on STLA Large if EV appetite among consumers continues to fall below expectations.

Indeed, Imparato's latest comments come straight off the back of confirmation Alfa will bring the MHEV-powered Junior small SUV to the UK – having previously sold it only in zero-emission Elettrica guise. He reiterated, however, that “no BEV means no ICE” – confirming that stringent regulations ensure the firm can only offer petrol power if its EVs sell in strong enough numbers.

The successor to the current Giulia will also be made at Cassino from 2026 onwards. Stellantis is investing heavily into its Italian facilities, having already made a commitment to build five electric cars – including two DS models and the next-generation Jeep Compass – on the smaller STLA Medium architecture in Melfi.

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