Shifting market trends might be forcing Alfa Romeo to bring an EV version of its Junior EV SUV to the U.S. with the company allegedly reaching out to dealerships to see if there’s any interest in a potential EV model.
A new report suggests Alfa Romeo might be bringing the Junior EV SUV to the United States.
The 2025 Alfa Romeo Junior is preparing to put the Italian brand in a prime spot to nab precious sales in the EV wars. The model was originally known as the Milano but the Italian government quickly squashed that plan and asked the brand to change the name due to the SUV not being made in Italy. The Junior name was used instead but Alfa Romeo didn’t confirm if the Junior would make its way to the U.S. market or not?
That stance appears to be changing with a new report suggesting that the Italian brand is question dealerships here in the U.S to see if there’s a viable business case that makes bringing a Junior model to the U.S. make sense.
Junior would face challenges establishing itself
The Junior also has hybrid powertrains but the report suggests only the EV is being considered for import.
If dealerships are willing to give the Junior a chance, the SUV would have a formidable challenge in establishing itself in the market. The Junior is Alfa Romeo’s first EV but it’s being offered by a brand that does not have much brand cache in the U.S. with some of the Junior’s potential rivals already having time to establish themselves in the EV market.
“We will show the Junior Veloce to our U.S. dealers, asking them if they see potential for a fun-to-drive small electric hatch in select markets such as California, Florida, and other CARB states,” Daniele Tiago Guzzafame, Alfa Romeo’s head of product, told Automotive News Europe.
Some of these dealerships might actually give the model a chance since it would give them more models to sell in showrooms with the aging Giulia and Stelvio just recently being joined by the smaller Tonale. That said, the Junior would help add sales depth to their vehicle roster and it might attract some EV buyers who want to have a more distinctive EV driving experience.
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Junior is also a gamble for Alfa Romeo
The Junior’s potential arrival in the U.S. comes after the brand was forced to change its name due to a complaint from the Italian government.
In addition to potentially expanding sales for dealerships that are willing to take the plunge, the Junior is also a gamble for Alfa Romeo. EV sales are not picking up steam as quickly as some automakers expected and that has forced many of them to revise their plans with some of them scaling back their electrification plans. Alfa Romeo is one of the few that’s still moving full steam ahead and thinks that the Junior will still do good in the EV market.
The Junior will also have an advantage in tariffs. Two of its key rivals the Volvo EX30 and the Mini Cooper EV are built in China and as a result are hit with a 102.5% tariff when they are exported. The Junior on the other hand is built in Poland and as a result, that model only has to deal with a 2.5% tariff if it chooses to bring the model to the U.S. The SUV would also not be a slouch either when it hits dealerships with the Veloce model getting its muscle from a 281-hp electric motor that’s paired with a 54-kWh battery pack. European models are also available with hybrid powertrains but Alfa’s statement focuses on the EV model and seems to suggest that the brand is focusing on only bringing the EV model stateside to help maximize the potential return it would get on its investment.
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