Alfa Romeo Milano, Italian brand's first electric car, breaks cover
Familiar Stellantis underpinnings
Alfa Romeo has unveiled its first electric car, a compact crossover called Milano. The new model is the third SUV in the Italian firm’s line-up, joining the Stelvio and mid-size Tonale, though the only one available with pure-electric power.
Leaning heavily into Alfa’s storied heritage, the Milano features a bold take on the company’s Scudetto grille, appearing in two eye-catching designs according to specification. The sportier, contemporary version is called “Progresso”, while a more traditional version called “Leggenda” is a nod to Alfa Romeos of the past.
Adding further distinction to the Milano’s front-end design are three-by-three daytime running lights and the option of LED matrix headlights, which can dip around individual objects leaving the rest of the view in full beam.
Accentuating its proportions, top-spec Veloce versions will run on 18in “Petali” alloy wheels, a modern take on the classic teledial wheel designs used on some of Alfa’s older models.
An elongated side profile features rear door handles that are integrated into the window frame, and its truncated tail is sure to become a talking point.
Serving as a nod to the gorgeous 1960s Giulia TZ, the boot lid appears stretched out from the body. This design also helps to free up 400 litres of boot space, and Alfa has provided what it calls a “cable organiser” under the bonnet.
Stand-out cabin
Inside, Alfa’s designers have put in a considerable effort to make the Milano stand out from the other compact crossovers in the Stellantis family, with only a few shared parts being obvious.
A digital instrument cluster measuring 10.25in sits within Alfa’s characteristic “telescope” design. A second 10.25in touchscreen display sits at the dashboard’s centre, angled towards the driver. Below is a bank of physical buttons for climate controls, and a slender centre console with a wireless phone charging pad and toggle rocker switch for the automatic transmission.
Sports seats from Sabelt feature a high-backed, contoured design, while there are quadrifoglio (four-leaf clover) shaped air vents at each end of the dashboard — a further nod to the company’s heritage, harking back to a time when its race cars carried the emblem on their front wings.
Underpinnings shared with Jeep
The Milano sits on the same underpinnings as a raft of other compact crossovers from Alfa’s parent group, Stellantis, including the Citroën e-C4, Peugeot e-2008 and Jeep Avenger, to name but a few. This means it can be offered with combustion engines using 48-volt mild-hybrid technology as well as electric power.
Alfa Romeo has confirmed that the Milano will be one of the only models in the segment to offer four-wheel drive.
Called the Milano Elettrica, the electric version uses a battery with a capacity of 54kWh to provide an official driving range of 255 miles, though that will be less in temperatures below the lab-standard 23C, and journeys at motorway speed will result in few miles between charges, too.
A peak DC rapid charging rate of 100kW is not class-leading but is the same as the other Stellantis models, and enables a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in as little as 30 minutes.
Powering the Milano Elettrica is a 153bhp electric motor, while a more potent Elettrica Veloce is in the works with up to 236bhp.
Alfa will also introduce the Milano Ibrida, powered by a 134bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with combined with a small lithium-ion battery and a 28bhp electric motor for improved fuel economy. Alfa claims the Milano Ibrida can spend as much as half its time driving in city conditions using only electric power.
However, Alfa Romeo has not yet confirmed if it will offer the hybrid variant in the UK or stick with an exclusively electric offering this side of the Channel.
Pricing for the Alfa Romeo Milano is expected to be announced in May when the order books open.
Related articles
- If you found news of the new Alfa Romeo Milano interesting, you might like to check out our review of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio
- Also take a look at this story about Alfa Romeo’s plan for an electric sports car to succeed the 4C
- And don’t miss our Alfa Romeo Giulia 2023 review: is it more than just a pretty face?
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