Alfa Romeo's EV can't be named Milano, says Italy

he Milano will be the first Alfa Romeo to be built entirely outside of Italy.

Alfa Romeo recently unveiled its first mass-market electric SUV, the Milano - named after the famous city of Milan, Italy.

However, the Italian government has now announced that the name is illegal. The country's government has stated that since the car will be built in Poland, it can't sound Italian. Alfa Romeo is an iconic Italian brand but is now owned by Stellantis. The conglomerate has been at odds with the government for months, stating its displeasure towards the lack of support for EV adoption and also not supporting home-grown brands like Alfa Romeo and Fiat.

However, the Italian government retaliated saying that moving the production out of the country was a step too far. Adolfo Urso, Italy's Industry Minister, even slammed Stellantis' decision to build the EV in Poland. The Milano will be the first Alfa Romeo to be built entirely outside of Italy, and if the vehicle isn't built in Italy, it can't have an Italian-sounding name.

Urso, stated, "A car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland. This is forbidden by Italian law." She added, "This law stipulates that you cannot give indications that mislead consumers. So a car called Milano must be produced in Italy. Otherwise, it gives a misleading indication which is not allowed under Italian law." Urso is referring to the law set in 2003 that prohibits any product not built in Italy from having an Italian-sounding name.

The Alfa Romeo is built on Stellantis' e-CMP platform, which also underpins the Jeep Avenger. According to Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, producing the Alfa Romeo Milano in Poland helps the brand shave off 10,000 euros from its retail price.

Source: Electrek