French sports car manufacturer Alpine has unveiled the second car to join its compact model range, the battery-powered A290, which will join the petrol-powered A110.
It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots between the recently unveiled Renault 5 EV and this model, as they are essentially twins. But Alpine, the long-standing maker of red-hot Renaults, has added some serious spice.
For starters, it’s added aggressive exterior styling, with ‘X’ motif spotlights, flared wheel arches filled with 19-inch alloy wheels and additional body creases, giving it several appropriate nods to the Renault 5 Turbo of old.
But where the original weighed around 850kg, this thoroughly modern EV tips the scales at 1,479kg, meaning it’ll need a good dose of firepower (and smart tech) to ensure it delivers the thrills to match its overtly aggressive appearance.
This comes in the form of a modified electric powertrain with a 52 kWh battery pack, which drives an electric motor on the front axle. This will be available with 180 hp in the standard version, or up to 220 hp in the punchier and more expensive GTS model.
It may not sound like much in today’s EV money, but Alpine claims this is enough to get the little electric villain from 0 to 62mph in 6.4 seconds – certainly not the territory of today’s electric hypercars , but fast enough for most.
As with Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N, Alpine has relied on its engineering know-how to inject what it calls ‘accessible sportiness’ into the A290. This comes in the form of a clever multi-link suspension at the rear, adjustable steering and an advanced torque management system that even allows for a little slip at the rear for some sliding fun.
The flat-bottomed steering wheel is adorned with race car buttons, including a large red module with ‘OV’ printed on it. Pressing this immediately delivers the maximum power of 220 hp for short periods.
The French carmaker has also introduced digital driving coaching via a downloadable app, which teaches wannabe Hamiltons how to improve their reflexes, give advice on what to look out for when driving fast and even give tips on how to control a slide.
This information is displayed on two digital screens, while sturdy, physical controls help the driver pinpoint key functionality in the heat of battle.
EV sensibility meets hot hatch hilarity
The fact that the Alpine A290 is based on the soon-to-be-launched Renault 5 EV means it can travel up to 386 kilometers between upgrades, while the infotainment offering runs on the latest Android Automotive operating system (with support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Car).
A maximum charging speed of 100 kW is certainly not the fastest available, but thanks to the small battery pack, charging the battery from 15 to 80 percent takes about 30 minutes via fast charging points.
It’s all very useful and sensible, but adding the slightly crazier driving modes, the big red overtaking button and the driver coaching apps add some much-needed fun to an otherwise sensible segment.
There’s even a specially developed Alpine Drive Sound actuator, which can provide a subtle soundtrack for daily cruising or something decidedly sportier when you want to drop the hammer.
It certainly contains most of the ingredients that made the old-fashioned hot hatch recipe so delicious – all except the price.
The A290 is expected to cost between £35,000 and £40,000 (about $44,400/AU$67,000 to $51,000/AU$77,000) when it arrives in Europe later this year (sorry North America), which is almost double that of the Renault 5 on which it is based. Ouch.