Alpine A290 electric hot hatch debuts with 220 hp
Alpine’s sole model at present is the A110 sports car sold overseas, but it plans to expand the lineup to seven offerings, all of them electric vehicles. Some will also reach the U.S. as part of the French performance marque’s planned launch here in 2027.
The first of the newcomers is the subcompact A290 hot hatch, revealed on Thursday in Le Mans, ahead of this weekend’s 24-hour race in the French town. Alpine also plans a compact GT C-Crossover, a redesigned A110 sports car, a four-door coupe to revive the A310 name, and likely two larger crossovers sitting in the same segments as Porsche’s Macan and Cayenne.
While future Alpines will be standalone models, the A290 is twinned with the 5 E-Tech from Alpine’s Renault parent. At 157 inches long, the A290 is the same length as the Renault, but its track has been widened by almost 2.4 inches to deliver a sportier stance. Thanks to aluminum construction, weight is relatively low for an EV, registering at 3,260 pounds.
The A290 and its 5 E-Tech twin use a lower-cost version of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-B EV platform, dubbed the AmpR Small platform by Renault. In the A290, the platform supports a single motor at the front axle rated at 180 hp in base and GT Premium grades, and 220 hp in GT Performance and GTS grades. All grades come with a 52-kwh battery claimed to deliver 236 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle used overseas. A lower range figure would result using the stricter EPA cycle.
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In the quickest version of the A290, accelerating to 62 mph from rest lasts 6.4 seconds, according to Alpine.
Alpine has sought to differentiate the A290 from its Renault sibling with unique styling cues and performance modifications, like additional driving lights up front, aerodynamic elements aimed at boosting downforce, the widened track, and unique wheels measuring 19 inches in diameter. One of the wheel patterns was inspired by a wheel design used on the original A310 sports car of the 1970s.
Inside, there are sporty elements like bucket seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and trim that resembles carbon fiber. There are digital screens for the gauge cluster and infotainment system, with the latter angled toward the driver. Physical buttons for frequently used features, such as the climate control, can be found on the center stack. The dimensions may be small, but Alpine still managed to squeeze five seats inside. Storage space at the rear measures approximately 11.5 cubic feet.
Deliveries of the A290 in markets where Alpine is currently present are due to start in 2025. Production will take place at a plant in Douai, France.