Alpine just released its first electric vehicle, the A390 SUV. But that's merely one of many EVs that the French automaker has planned over the next few years. Alpine will release a new electric sports car to succeed the A110, and the company promises it will be plenty powerful.
In an interview with Auto Express, CEO Philippe Krief and Renault Group head Luca de Meo revealed more details about the upcoming electric sports car. The duo noted that it has a targeted weight of around 3,200 pounds (1,450 kilograms) and is expected to have a range of approximately 350 miles on the WLTP cycle.
Most importantly, this new sports car will be powerful. When asked how much power the new EV sports car could produce, Krief responded with: "A lot! There will be enough power, I can guarantee."
The outgoing A110 produces up to 296 horsepower at its most powerful, but we expect the EV to be even punchier still. Alpine touts two configurations: Dual- and tri-motor setups, with the dual-motor configuration sending power exclusively to the rear wheels, and the tri-motor setup offering all-wheel drive.
The sports car will be the first vehicle in the lineup to use the automaker's 800-volt Alpine Performance Platform (APP), which debuts at the Paris Motor Show next year. The APP architecture will go on to underpin "three or four models," de Meo notes, with electric motors mounted in the wheels themselves. The wheel-mounted motors, de Meo says, will help lower the car's center of gravity, and give the car mid-engine proportions.
As mentioned, Alpine is aiming for a curb weight of around 3,200 pounds for its electric sports car—or just about as much as a gas Porsche Cayman. That will be slightly heavier than the A110, which tips the scales at just around 2,400 pounds, but relatively light for a BEV.
We don't know when Alpine plans to debut its new electric sports car, but if we're lucky, we could see the coupe as early as next year alongside the brand's new APP architecture in Paris. As for whether or not this new sports car will come to the US—we're holding out hope.
Source: Auto Express
