The BMW i5 is almost here, with its official reveal just about a year away. When it does debut, it’s going to be among the few electric vehicles in its class. The 5 Series’ segment of premium sedans is often called the “E segment” and it consists of cars like the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class, and Cadillac CT5. When the i5 debuts, the Mercedes EQE (electric E-Class) sedan will exist and the Audi A6 e-tron might exist as well but, honestly, that’s about it. However, a few years later, BMW might gain some competition from Alfa Romeo.
During a recent interview with Auto Express, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato said that there should be an electric i5 competitor by 2027. “We [Alfa Romeo] have a vocation to be a worldwide premium brand so I have to be in the view of the premium E segment. I will be there around 2027.”
Admittedly, that would make Alfa seriously late to the party. Of course, all brands are technically late to the party, as the Tesla Model S debuted a decade ago. However, the Model S is incredibly old at this point and, aside from gimmicky acceleration modes and a horrific steering wheel, there have been little to no updates that premium buyers would be interested in. So once the BMW i5, Mercedes EQE, and Audi A6 e-tron are on sale, those are going to be the benchmark cars in the segment.
By 2027, Alfa Romeo will be late to the party, the i5 would probably be on its LCI facelift already, but it might bring something that the others won’t—classic Alfa sportiness. While so many brands are leaning toward electric SUVs, for the easy profit margins, Alfa is leaning more toward a sedan because of its sporty DNA. “Knowing that we will be BEV, the challenge becomes aerodynamics, and knowing that the DNA of Alfa Romeo is sedan, and knowing that the signature of Alfa is sport, the answer is probably not SUV—I want to reinvent sportiness for the 21st Century.” Imparato told Auto Express.
I’m very excited about the idea of a larger, premium, electric Alfa Romeo sedan. Alfa has earned a lot of good will from its brilliant Giulia sedan. Hopefully it can…
