Alfa Romeo announced a new electric SUV with non-fungible token technology (NFT), which would provide owners a confidential and non-modifiable certificate of the main stages in the life of a vehicle.
The NFT certificate would guarantee the car’s overall status for a future buyer and providing a positive impact on its residual value.
The new Tonale SUV is based on the concept of the same car first unveiled in 2019. It will come as a hybrid or as a plug-in Hybrid Q4. The plug-in hybrid A4 will have all-wheel drive and 275 hp with an electric range of 50 miles in city driving conditions. There will also be build-in Amazon Alexa voice assistant capabilities.
Alfa Romeo is owned by Stellantis and the Tonale will be built in Naples, Italy, on a revamped production line known as the Giambattista Vico Stellatis plant. It will perform with Level 2 autonomous driving for automatic handling of acceleration, braking and staying within lane, according to a press release.
Pricing and availability has not been announced.
The new Tonale with NFT is an example of variations in electric and hybrid models being offered by various carmakers. Meanwhile, carmakers are unveiling a range of features for in-car infotainment.
Toyota, which beat GM in revenues in the U.S. for the first time in 2021, saw 26% of U.S. sales in hybrid models in 2021, which should reach 30% in 2022 if supply chain problems can be resolved in the second quarter, said Bob Carter, chief of North America sales for Toyota in an appearance Tuesday on CNBC.
Toyota has 18 hybrid models with 62% market share of hybrids and 45% share of plug-ins. The Japanese carmaker expects to introduce two EV models in 2022, one branded under Toyota and the other under Lexus, Carter said.