Pint-Sized Alfa Romeo Junior May Cross the Atlantic
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Alfa Romeo is currently exploring a scenario where its first-ever electric vehicle, the Junior, makes its way across the Atlantic. The Italian brand’s chief product planner, Daniele Tiago Guzzafame, recently confirmed to Automotive News Europe that the city-oriented crossover will be shown to U.S. dealers in select markets with tougher emissions standards.
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Facing equally new competitors such as the Volvo EX30 and MINI Countryman SE, the Alfa Romeo Junior is built in Poland and thus wouldn’t be hit with prohibitive tariffs like the ones the U.S. have imposed on Chinese-made EVs lately. A tariff of 2.5 percent only would apply.
If the Junior eventually comes to North America, Canada would likely be included, at least EV-friendly provinces like Quebec and B.C.
The Alfa Romeo executive doesn’t seem to be all too worried about waning demand in the EV segment. But regardless of its powertrain, would people here embrace a vehicle that’s roughly 35 cm shorter than the already small Tonale? It’s actually the main reason why we won’t get its non-identical cousin, the Jeep Avenger. You see, the Junior is more like a hatchback than a small crossover, with barely 400 litres of trunk space.
Performance wouldn’t be a problem, not with the sporty Veloce model generating 237 horsepower. Then again, the Junior comes with FWD exclusively. As for the 54kWh battery, it is said to enable around 330 km of range in Veloce trim based on the WLTP standard used overseas—meaning significantly less than 300 km if it were offered in Canada.
Remember, Stellantis has committed to making Alfa Romeo an electric-only car brand in North America, Europe and China by 2027. However, things could change as EV plans get revised all across the industry. And if Alfa Romeo isn’t any more successful around here, it could be axed in the near future, as Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares hinted at last week.
