Alfa Romeo reveals its first EV, the small but sporty Milano

Alfa Romeo has revealed its first fully electric car, called the Milano. The compact SUV is designed for the European market and is claimed to have a sporty drive that will appeal to enthusiasts.

In all, there are four versions of the Milano; two all-electric (the red car in these images) and two mild hybrids (the blue car), although at the time of writing it isn’t clear if the hybrid will come to the UK. Regardless, the bigger story here is the all-electric duo, which both have a 54 kWh battery. The less powerful of the two has a claimed range of up to 410 km (255 miles).

The Milano, which we expect to rival the Volvo EX30, is built on the same E-CMP platform as the similarly compact Jeep Avenger; the Italian and American brands are both part of the massive Stellantis automotive group.

The EV is offered in base Milano Elettrica spec, alongside optional Veloce and Speciale Launch Edition variants. Alfa is aiming the Veloce in particular at driving enthusiasts, thanks to that model being fitted with a mechanical self-locking differential, a widened wheel track for a more aggressive stance, sports suspension and brakes, 20-inch wheels and what the Italian company describes as the most direct steering ratio in its class. On top of all that, the optional Sport trim includes Sabelt seats and Alcantara upholstery.

Alfa says the base-level Milano Elettrica produces 156 horsepower, while a more potent version has the same 54 kWh battery but with its motor ramped up to produce 240 hp. Meanwhile, the Milano Ibrida mild hybrid model combines its battery and a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged engine to offer 136 hp. Interestingly, the hybrid is offered in two- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the latter being the only such car in its class, Alfa says.

The car was unveiled at the Automobile Club Milano, in the city where Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910. Alfa hopes the car will appeal to drivers who want a small EV, but also to fans of the brand and its heritage – and particularly those who may have previously owned compact Alfas from the past, like the Giulietta and Mito.

Unlike many other EV makers, Alfa Romeo is intentionally sizing down with the Milano. The car is 4.17 metres long, 1.78m wide and 1.5m tall. Alfa is keen to talk up the car’s stylish design and sporty aesthetics, highlighting the Milano’s short overhangs, muscular wheel arches and what it calls the “truncated tail” – a nod to the Giulia TZ, a beautiful sports coupe from the 1960s.

Alfa’s emphasis on the Milano being a sporty drive continues with the large, 380mm front disc brakes with four-piston callipers, the 25mm reduction in ride height for the Veloce model and a set of front and rear anti-roll bars that the company says are “extra sporty” and designed to “guarantee quick cornering with a high level of grip.” Although there’s no word on a hotter Quadrifolgio version just yet, it doesn’t take much imagination to see an even sportier Milano rivalling future hot EV hatches like the Alpine A290 and Volkswagen ID.2 GTI.

Inside, the emphasis on sporty design continues. The dashboard features Alfa’s trademark ‘telescope’ hood around the instrument cluster, which sees analogue dials replaced by a 10.25in TFT screen. A touchscreen of equal size sits in the middle of the dashboard, and is joined by air vents styled to look like Alfa’s ‘quadrifoglio’ four-leaf clover badge used by its performance models.

The Milano has DC charging speeds of up to 100 kW and the battery can be filled from 10 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes, Alfa says. The car also comes with an 11 kW, three-phase onboard charger – and to that end, the car comes with a wallbox charger from Free2Move. That company also provides the Milano with access to a public charge network made up of over 600,000 charge points – the largest of any network, Alfa Romeo says – and the car’s navigation system has an EV route planner for adding charge stops to longer journeys.

The Milano’s mapping and infotainment system will gain over-the-air (OTA) software updates and a new voice assistant is summoned by saying “Hey Alfa”. The system has ChatGPT integration, but Alfa hasn’t yet elaborated on what benefits that might bring to drivers.

Alfa’s familiar DNA drive mode selector is used by the Milano, with the modes called Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency. The all-wheel-drive mild hybrid has a fourth mode for use on low-grip surfaces. 

The Milano might be a small car, but it’s a big moment for Alfa Romeo. With the Giulia and Stelio both heading for retirement in the not-so-distant future, the company has an opportunity to offer a small but sporty EV with plenty of character and enough Italian flair to tempt buyers away from more mundane rivals.

Alfa is yet to say what the Milano will cost, but given the brand's premium aspirations it's expected to be priced above the Jeep Avenger and in the region of £40,000.