Alfa Romeo may have always treated the upcoming Tonale as a “mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV,” but we had another impression. Being based on the Renegade, it was supposed to be as small as that Jeep crossover. Autocar may have made that clearer with its latest report on the Italian company. According to that article, the Tonale will be a C-segment vehicle, while a smaller crossover will get a new platform: the e-CMP from PSA. If that is correct, it will be the first fully electric Alfa Romeo in history.
The subcompact e-CUV is planned to be presented in 2022. Curiously, the chart above came up on November 11, 2019, only a few days after FCA and PSA confirmed they would try to merge, on October 31.
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Before that, the company only planned to have a C-segment SUV – the Tonale – and an E-segment SUV, which would sit above the Stelvio.
Gallery: Alfa Romeo Product Roadmaps Already Included Future B-Segment Electric CUV
Autocar has spoken to Alfa Romeo, and it confirms the electric B-CUV will have a “family feel” but a distinct design from that presented by the Tonale. The company also promises it will have powerful motors and the performance any Alfa Romeo is expected to deliver. That will be quite a challenge.
The Peugeot e-2008 has a range of up to 206 mi under the WLTP cycle. In other words, it would probably be much lower under the EPA cycle. If the Alfa Romeo derivative does not present better battery technology or a larger pack, chances are it will have even less range than the Peugeot.
Regarding the Tonale, its SOP (start of production) is for 2021, and it will probably be bigger than the prototype, comparable to the Jeep Compass in terms of size. That similarity very likely anticipates what we will be able to expect from it.
Just like the Compass 4xe, the Tonale will probably have 237 hp delivered both by the 1.3-liter FireFly turbo engine and by the electric motor at the rear axle. An 11.4 kWh battery pack will give it 50 km (31 mi) of range under WLTP rules, and top speed will be 130 km/h (81 mph) in electric-only mode and 200 km/h (124 mph) with the engine helping push it.
Alfa may try to boost these numbers for people not to consider the Tonale a more expensive Compass. Anyway, the company is now also trying to present itself as a brand that also praises comfort. If it can prioritize both aspects with the Tonale, that will make it a very desirable machine. Concerning the EV, the challenge is already more than clear: range.
Source: Autocar