Fiat Chrysler hasn’t been very specific about its plans for all-electric vehicles, but it’s starting to open up. The company told Autocar (via Electrek) that its Alfa Romeo brand will release a small electric SUV sometime in 2022. A spokesperson didn’t share too many details, but the mini-ute “won’t be identical” in style to the Tonale hybrid SUV you see above. It’s expected to sit on a platform from Peugeot owner PSA (whose merger with FCA is still in progress), and the spokesperson suggested it would maintain Alfa’s blend of “sportiness” and “comfort.”

The small SUV space is a good place to start with an EV, according to the representative, noting that it offers the “best solution for range and usage.”

Fiat Chrysler is expected to launch over 30 EVs and hybrids by 2022. Already, vehicles like the company’s Pacfic Hybrid get around 33 miles on a full-charge, which in many cases, would be enough to navigate around a city. The vehicle would still have access to the combustion engine for longer trips outside of restricted zones.

Fiat isn’t the first to test this approach. BMW also considered an electric-only mode for its hybrids. That included a smartphone reminder to turn off a vehicle’s combustion engine when entering a virtual boundary.

Fiat is piloting its system in Turin, Italy, and it’s aptly called “Turin Geofencing Lab.” Initially, Fiat is testing the sensors on the new Jeep Renegade 4xe. The company told Reuters that the tech could be extended to other hybrid models beginning next year and that once the tests are complete, Fiat plans to offer the system in other cities in Italy and abroad.

“The AutoX Driver has adopted local driving styles in China to navigate in complex and dynamic urban conditions,” AutoX wrote in a blog post.

For FCA, this is another way to break into the self-driving vehicle field. The company lags behind some of its competitors when it comes to electric- and autonomous-vehicle tech. So far, its efforts have mostly included EV concepts like the Centoventi and supplying Waymo with Chrysler Pacificas, the same van that AutoX will use. That may be changing though, thanks to this partnership and FCA’s recent announcement that it will work with Foxconn to build EVs and internet-connected vehicles in China.

FCA will face plenty of competition in China, where self-driving car tests have been permitted on public roads since 2017. Alibaba, Baidu, Chinese ridesharing company Didi Chuxingare and Tencent are all working on autonomous vehicle platforms. Volvo and Ford are both involved with Baidu. Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s autonomous driving subsidiary, Volkswagen Autonomy or VWAT, plans to open an office in China in 2021.

For one, you can expect over-the-air firmware updates to provide a steady stream of improvements. As with an increasing number of rival brands, you won’t have to struggle to keep your car current. The underlying architecture is also billed as five times faster than before, and can handle screens up to 12.3 inches across at up to 15 megapixels (greater than 4K). And if you like voice control, there’s a new recognition engine that supports natural voice commands with a “hey Chrysler” keyword.

You can expect wider support for many creature comforts. It brings built-in Alexa support, support for pairing two phones at once and wider compatibility with wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (100 percent of North American cars). Navigation will come from TomTom, which will supply traffic data, EV charger features and other services in an upgraded system that offers easier search, last-mile walking directions and over-the-air map updates.

Uconnect 5 will show up in vehicles later in 2020, although Fiat Chrysler hasn’t said which ones will get first dibs. This will be a crucial improvement wherever it shows up, at least. In addition to acknowledging that cars are increasingly connected, the Android platform should help Fiat Chrysler transition to electric and hybrid cars, where this kind of modern interface is absolutely vital.

The plug-in hybrid Jeeps are part of Fiat Chrysler’s larger plans to electrify more than 30 models by 2022. Jeep teased plug-in versions of the Compass and Renegade last year, promising 240 horsepower, speeds of up to 62 MPH in 7 seconds and the ability to drive up to 31 miles on electric power alone.

We don’t know as much about the Wrangler 4xe, and Jeep hasn’t talked about pricing or launch dates. We’ll likely have to wait for the Geneva, New York and Beijing auto shows to learn more.

If you’re brave enough to try the Jeep 4×4 Adventure VR Experience, you’ll ride in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon retrofit with a hydraulic cylinder at each wheel. The Wrangler will react to data recorded from the trail and participants will see correlated scenery. Drivers can compete as teams to traverse the Hell’s Revenge trail, and as Fiat Chrysler brings the simulator to different events, it will add new off-road trails from around the world.

The Airflow Vision reportedly touts an interface that’s “safe, easy to use and understand,” with a clean, consistent and legible system that should keep distractions to a minimum. You can also personalize the interface down to grouping screens based on your particular needs. It’s also possible to share info with anyone else in the cabin — say, if you want to let your kids know your route. It’s far too soon to say if this will improve on the experiences of screen-heavy cars like the Porsche Taycan, but it’s good to know that FCA has at least thought about the consequences of moving controls to touchscreens.

You won’t get many answers about the performance at this stage. The concept is based on the dimensions and load floor of the Pacifica plug-in hybrid, but it’s not clear whether this would be a PHEV, a pure electric car or something else entirely. It’s pitched as a luxury machine with a “calming” interior that includes ambient lighting and slim profile seats that allow for more legroom and personal storage for each occupant.

CES guests will also get to see Fiat’s Centoventi concept EV make its North American debut, as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Compass, Renegade and Wrangler.

There’s no mention of whether or not the Airflow Vision will translate to a production car, although we wouldn’t count on it without major changes. Those wrap-around wheel wells wouldn’t survive a minute on real streets. This might offer a peek at the future of FCA car interiors, though, and it’s easy to see some form of this interface finding its way into the automotive giant’s electrified lineup.

The two sides have already been talking about sharing car platforms, the FT said, although it heard that the discussions are far enough along that they’ve gone “beyond simply sharing the technology.”

Fiat Chrysler and Renault have declined to comment.

A deal could have significant ramifications for both the tech in Fiat Chrysler’s cars and Renault’s overall reach. Fiat Chrysler could borrow EV and hybrid platforms from its new partner, helping it keep up with an industry where electrified cars could quickly become the norm. It might also have access to more autonomous driving resources, not to mention mobility services that could help it cope with a decline in car ownership.

Renault, meanwhile, could benefit by integrating its tech into an erstwhile competitor’s cars as well as expanding its reach. While the company stopped offering cars in the US a long time ago, a Fiat Chrysler link would give it a foothold in the country that it doesn’t have through Mitsubishi or Nissan. You wouldn’t necessarily see Chrysler-badged Renault Zoes, but you might see Chryslers with a certain French touch — even if it’s only under the hood.

It was expected that car makers would pool their own sub-brands together. VW can use improving emissions with its regular brands to offset exotic brands like Porsche and Lamborghini, for example. However, this (along with a deal between Mazda and Toyota) is the first time two wholly separate car companies have agreed to pool their emissions in Europe, and shows the pressure on companies to electrify their lineups.

This sort of deal isn’t completely unusual for Tesla. In 2018 alone it made $103.4 million by selling zero-emissions credits, and it made $279.7 million the year before that. The EU pact could significantly pad Tesla’s bottom line, though, and it’s coming at a good time. Tesla’s sales fell sharply in early 2019 as reduced EV tax credits and the typical early-year slowdown took their toll. While the company isn’t facing a crisis, it probably won’t mind an influx of cash while it tries to improve sales and gears up for future cars like the Model Y.