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Alfa Romeo plans to build an EV SUV to rival BMW iX, Mercedes EQS

Credit: Alfa Romeo

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Alfa Romeo is planning to build out a lineup of electric vehicles in 2027, which will follow the 1,000-horsepower Giulia EV that it will release in 2025. The plans will start with an electric “large saloon” car in 2027 that will be suited for both North America and Europe. Another “built-up” model will come out in 2028, CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato told AutoExpress.

The “built-up” model in 2028 will be similar to the BMW iX, Mercedes EQS, and Audi Q8 e-tron, according to the report, and will sit on the STLA Large architecture from parent company Stellantis, who recently planned a retooling of its Italian factory to help produce EVs.

In January, Impararto detailed the 2027 “large saloon” vehicle that will be the first unveiled. He said it is important to look at the range and set a tone for future models. Maximum range can be achieved in smaller vehicles and not necessarily in SUVs.

The 2027 vehicle would be geared toward the North American market and would help the company increase its sales outside of Europe to levels around 40 percent by 2030. However, the SUV it wants to build will also appeal to that market, as it is one of the most popular body styles in the U.S.

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Imparato has his sights set on a range of around 435 miles for this vehicle, but the SUV versions that come later would offer less than that, simply due to its weight and less aerodynamic prowess. But the SUV is set to utilize the same configurations as the initial saloon vehicle.

Stellantis also plans to bring in an 800-volt charging architecture, which will enable fast charging, keeping owners at plug-in stations for less time.

Design

Alfa Romeo has already finalized the design of the saloon vehicle, according to Imparato. “Everything is locked in, design-wise, until 2027,” he said. However, the SUV design has not yet been signed off, at least not yet.

Production

Production is not expected to begin until 2027 or even 2028, but the report suggests the vehicle will be priced at levels similar to that of its likely competitors, meaning it will be around the £100,000 mark ($120,283).

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For comparison, the BMW iX starts at $85,095, the Mercedes-Benz EQS starts at $105,550, and the Audi Q8 e-tron comes is expected to cost between $75,000 and $87,000.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla already has a complete Robotaxi model, and it doesn’t depend on passenger count

That scenario was discussed during the company’s Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call, when executives explained why the majority of Robotaxi rides will only involve one or two people.

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Credit: @AdanGuajardo/X

Tesla already has the pieces in place for a full Robotaxi service that works regardless of passenger count, even if the backbone of the program is a small autonomous two-seater. 

That scenario was discussed during the company’s Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call, when executives explained why the majority of Robotaxi rides will only involve one or two people.

Two-seat Cybercabs make perfect sense

During the Q&A portion of the call, Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy pointed out that more than 90% of vehicle miles traveled today involve two or fewer passengers. This, the executive noted, directly informed the design of the Cybercab. 

“Autonomy and Cybercab are going to change the global market size and mix quite significantly. I think that’s quite obvious. General transportation is going to be better served by autonomy as it will be safer and cheaper. Over 90% of vehicle miles traveled are with two or fewer passengers now. This is why we designed Cybercab that way,” Moravy said. 

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Elon Musk expanded on the point, emphasizing that there is no fallback for Tesla’s bet on the Cybercab’s autonomous design. He reiterated that the autonomous two seater’s production is expected to start in April and noted that, over time, Tesla expects to produce far more Cybercabs than all of its other vehicles combined.

“Just to add to what Lars said there. The point that Lars made, which is that 90% of miles driven are with one or two passengers or one or two occupants, essentially, is a very important one… So this is clearly, there’s no fallback mechanism here. It’s like this car either drives itself or it does not drive… We would expect over time to make far more CyberCabs than all of our other vehicles combined. Given that 90% of distance driven or distance being distance traveled exactly, no longer driving, is one or two people,” Musk said. 

Tesla’s robotaxi lineup is already here

The more interesting takeaway from the Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call is the fact that Tesla does not need the Cybercab to serve every possible passenger scenario, simply because the company already has a functional Robotaxi model that scales by vehicle type.

The Cybercab will handle the bulk of the Robotaxi network’s trips, but for groups that need three or four seats, the Model Y fills that role. For higher-end or larger-family use cases, the extended-wheelbase Model Y L could cover five or six occupants, provided that Elon Musk greenlights the vehicle for North America. And for even larger groups or commercial transport, Tesla has already unveiled the Robovan, which could seat over ten people.

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Rather than forcing one vehicle to satisfy every use case, Tesla’s approach mirrors how transportation works today. Different vehicles will be used for different needs, while unifying everything under a single autonomous software and fleet platform.

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Tesla Cybercab spotted with interesting charging solution, stimulating discussion

The port is located in the rear of the vehicle and features a manual door and latch for plug-in, and the video shows an employee connecting to a Tesla Supercharger.

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Credit: What's Inside | X

Tesla Cybercab units are being tested publicly on roads throughout various areas of the United States, and a recent sighting of the vehicle’s charging port has certainly stimulated some discussions throughout the community.

The Cybercab is geared toward being a fully-autonomous vehicle, void of a steering wheel or pedals, only operating with the use of the Full Self-Driving suite. Everything from the driving itself to the charging to the cleaning is intended to be operated autonomously.

But a recent sighting of the vehicle has incited some speculation as to whether the vehicle might have some manual features, which would make sense, but let’s take a look:

The port is located in the rear of the vehicle and features a manual door and latch for plug-in, and the video shows an employee connecting to a Tesla Supercharger.

Now, it is important to remember these are prototype vehicles, and not the final product. Additionally, Tesla has said it plans to introduce wireless induction charging in the future, but it is not currently available, so these units need to have some ability to charge.

However, there are some arguments for a charging system like this, especially as the operation of the Cybercab begins after production starts, which is scheduled for April.

Wireless for Operation, Wired for Downtime

It seems ideal to use induction charging when the Cybercab is in operation. As it is for most Tesla owners taking roadtrips, Supercharging stops are only a few minutes long for the most part.

The Cybercab would benefit from more frequent Supercharging stops in between rides while it is operating a ride-sharing program.

Tesla wireless charging patent revealed ahead of Robotaxi unveiling event

However, when the vehicle rolls back to its hub for cleaning and maintenance, standard charging, where it is plugged into a charger of some kind, seems more ideal.

In the 45-minutes that the car is being cleaned and is having maintenance, it could be fully charged and ready for another full shift of rides, grabbing a few miles of range with induction charging when it’s out and about.

Induction Charging Challenges

Induction charging is still something that presents many challenges for companies that use it for anything, including things as trivial as charging cell phones.

While it is convenient, a lot of the charge is lost during heat transfer, which is something that is common with wireless charging solutions. Even in Teslas, the wireless charging mat present in its vehicles has been a common complaint among owners, so much so that the company recently included a feature to turn them off.

Production Timing and Potential Challenges

With Tesla planning to begin Cybercab production in April, the real challenge with the induction charging is whether the company can develop an effective wireless apparatus in that short time frame.

It has been in development for several years, but solving the issue with heat and energy loss is something that is not an easy task.

In the short-term, Tesla could utilize this port for normal Supercharging operation on the Cybercab. Eventually, it could be phased out as induction charging proves to be a more effective and convenient option.

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Tesla confirms that it finally solved its 4680 battery’s dry cathode process

The suggests the company has finally resolved one of the most challenging aspects of its next-generation battery cells.

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tesla 4680
Image used with permission for Teslarati. (Credit: Tom Cross)

Tesla has confirmed that it is now producing both the anode and cathode of its 4680 battery cells using a dry-electrode process, marking a key breakthrough in a technology the company has been working to industrialize for years. 

The update, disclosed in Tesla’s Q4 and FY 2025 update letter, suggests the company has finally resolved one of the most challenging aspects of its next-generation battery cells.

Dry cathode 4680 cells

In its Q4 and FY 2025 update letter, Tesla stated that it is now producing 4680 cells whose anode and cathode were produced during the dry electrode process. The confirmation addresses long-standing questions around whether Tesla could bring its dry cathode process into sustained production.

The disclosure was highlighted on X by Bonne Eggleston, Tesla’s Vice President of 4680 batteries, who wrote that “both electrodes use our dry process.”

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Tesla first introduced the dry-electrode concept during its Battery Day presentation in 2020, pitching it as a way to simplify production, reduce factory footprint, lower costs, and improve energy density. While Tesla has been producing 4680 cells for some time, the company had previously relied on more conventional approaches for parts of the process, leading to questions about whether a full dry-electrode process could even be achieved.

4680 packs for Model Y

Tesla also revealed in its Q4 and FY 2025 Update Letter that it has begun producing battery packs for certain Model Y vehicles using its in-house 4680 cells. As per Tesla: 

“We have begun to produce battery packs for certain Model Ys with our 4680 cells, unlocking an additional vector of supply to help navigate increasingly complex supply chain challenges caused by trade barriers and tariff risks.”

The timing is notable. With Tesla preparing to wind down Model S and Model X production, the Model Y and Model 3 are expected to account for an even larger share of the company’s vehicle output. Ensuring that the Model Y can be equipped with domestically produced 4680 battery packs gives Tesla greater flexibility to maintain production volumes in the United States, even as global battery supply chains face increasing complexity.

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