Experiencing Alfa Romeo's first electric car – the Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-In Hybrid Q4

The shift to all-electric power is as imminent as ever in the automotive world. The looming threat of climate change and consequent legislations by global governments has made the shift to all-electric vehicles inevitable. More and more brands have already constituted plans and set them in motion. One of them is the Italian automaker, Alfa Romeo who is marking its entry into the world of electric cars with the Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-in Hybrid Q4 – and it’s a remarkable feat as they will be the fastest to move from not having any electrified vehicles (early 2022) to having a full range of zero-emission vehicles by 2027.

Lately we had the chance to test drive the Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-in Hybrid Q4 and of course we do not want to withhold the details from you. The vehicle combines maximum efficiency and sportiness: more than 80 km in full-electric in the urban cycle, 600km in the total cycle, and emissions reduced to 26g/km.

The hybrid power and performance

With the arrival of the Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-In Hybrid Q4, the brand marks its way into the world of electrification while staying true to its Italian sporty DNA established in 1910. With the Tonale Plug-In Hybrid Q4, customers can enjoy all-electric drive perfect for shorter distances or in the city. You are locally emission-free as well as silently on tour. The hybrid power is perfect for longer distances as you are having more than 600 km of total range.

Let’s talk about some technical details. Underneath the hood of the Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-In Hybrid Q4 is a 1.3-liter turbocharged MultiAir engine, which mates to a 6-speed transmission to produce 180 hp. This system transfers power to the front axle and is one part of the e-AWD system. On top of that is a 90kW electric motor that together with producing 250 Nm of torque introduces power to the rear axle. The 306-volt, 15.5 kWh lithium-ion battery allows you to travel over 80 km on pure electric power.  In terms of range, the hybrid system combined gives the Tonale a healthy 600 km of driving range. On a full tank, the vehicle gives an average of 1.14 liters per 100 km. Plus, you can charge the battery whenever possible. The 7.4kW onboard charger of the Tonale can fill up the battery completely in 2.5 hours. That’s not rapid but a positive step in the right direction. It is also important to mention that the Plug-in hybrid system helps the Tonale to reduce emissions. The SUV’s powertrain produces only 26g/km of CO2 emissions.  

But that is not something that excites most sport car fans. You want to know more about the performance, here we go: The Alfa Romeo Tonale Q4 produces a combined 280 hp from the engine and the battery. When this power goes to the front and rear axles, you get an impressive 0-100 km/h acceleration in 6.2 seconds. If you are on electric power, the top speed is governed at 135 km/h. Whereas, the hybrid system gets you to a respectable 206 km/h top speed

Better efficiency through new modes 

Most car manufacturers provide driving modes to enhance the driving experience. Alfa Romeo has gone a step further than that and enhanced the sensitivity and capability of the commands to suit various driving situations. 

The Dynamic mode is the best of the lot as it unleashes the true potential of the Tonale. The Natural mode comes in for people who want performance at all-times while not sacrificing too much on efficiency. Finally, the Advance Efficiency mode is put in place to extract the most efficiency out of the vehicle. On top of that, you have EV-specific features like Sailing, e-Coasting, and e-Save to make the most out of your journey. 

Comfort, safety and on-board experience

A luxury vehicle is not complete unless it is comfortable and safe to drive. The Alfa Romeo Tonale doesn’t miss on that end. It has an incredibly silent and spacious cabin that offers the driver and passengers a certain peace of mind. You get a ton of useful features like dual-zone climate control, ambient lights, ventilated and heated front seats, 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a wireless charging pad, and an infotainment system being updated via its customisable Android operating system and 4G connectivity with “Over The Air” updates. Numerous other state-of-the-art driver safety features are also present within the vehicle. The infotainment system houses all useful features and allows you to toggle between the different settings and controls. This is especially helpful in EV’s because you need to learn about the nearing charging stations, the charge percentage and all such things.  

The newest addition to the Tonale lineup is the NFT technology. This off-board, ready-to-use, and sustainable feature proves the brand's commitment to innovation. Specifically, based on the customer’s selection, the NFT generates a certificate which guarantees the identity and good maintenance of the vehicle, and thus supports its residual value.

The Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-In Hybrid Q4 offers great features in terms of performance, safety, comfort and efficiency. When you drive the Tonale Q4, you will learn how true the car is to the manufacturer’s claim.

Pictures: Alfa Romeo for ellectric