As It Readies Factory, Maserati's First Electric Won't Leave Traditionalists Too Far Out in the Cold

As parent Fiat Chrysler gets to work bringing its Italian luxury marque out of the doldrums of 2018, pushing the brand past the botched Levante launch and its poorly thought-out grouping with Alfa Romeo, electrification and utility vehicles are top of mind.

FCA believes fresh product and a new brand boss focused on its success will help Maserati regain its financial and sales footing. One of those products aims to excite, while simultaneously placating the green crowd and those unwilling to give up a gasoline engine.

Earlier this month, Maserati announced upgrades for its Modena assembly plant in preparation for its upcoming Alfieri sports car. That vehicle’s existence, heralded by a 2014 show car (seen above), is a key plank in a five-year product plan unveiled last summer.

The two-seat Alfieri won’t carry the V8 powerplant seen in the show car; rather, buyers can expect two green powertrain options in two bodystyles — coupe and convertible. Wards Auto reports that the more consumer-friendly Alfiera variant will adopt a plug-in hybrid layout, utilizing a V6 engine to keep the party going after battery depletion. The other choice is a fully electric Alfieri of undetermined range.

FCA said last year that the battery-electric Alfieri will boast three motors, propelling the car to 62 mph in about 2 seconds. Production should commence before the halfway point in 2020, with consumers gaining delivery of their cars by early 2021.

In the interests of greening (and future-proofing) the brand, Maserati is expected to lob this powertrain at other vehicles, including the next-generation Quattroporte and Levante. Plug-in hybrid variants are also in the cards for future model revamps.

Because passenger cars mean slow death for any company, there’s also a smaller SUV on the way, this one expected to borrow the same Giorgio platform used by the Levante and Alfa Romeo’s Giulia and Stelvio. You can bet Maserati brass will try to avoid the same mistakes made with the languishing Levante.

[Image: Maserati]