Alfa Romeo has a long history of high-performance internal combustion-powered cars, but it’s willing to explore the world of high-performance electric vehicles (EVs) if they can capture the automaker’s Italian charm.

The brand’s legacy was formed through a plethora of iconic cars for both the road and racetrack, a tradition that has continued to this day with its high-performance Quadrifoglio sub-brand – all without hybrid or electric power.

Despite that, Alfa recently took a significant step into the electrified world with its first-ever EV, the Junior, a light SUV developed by leveraging a platform from parent company Stellantis, which also underpins other small EVs such as the Jeep Avenger.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.

We’re unlikely to see a full-fat Quadrifoglio variant of the Junior, and while there’s a higher-output Veloce version of the Junior EV overseas, it’s still a far cry from something Alfa would consider a proper performance car. Previous reports of electric Quadrifoglio cars are also yet to come to fruition.

When asked at the Junior’s Australian launch whether future performance Alfas would be electric, the brand’s head of product Mario Lamagna said: “This is the question of the decade”.

“We, of course, love thermal engines, and we are involved with a number of V6s… we are, for sure, looking always at thermal engines, but with the future technologies, you can do a lot of interesting stuff, also with electric powertrains,” he told media.

“So there is not an answer to your question that is a fair one.”