Alpine A110 EV promises 500bhp+, 373-mile range
Alpine’s next generation A110 EV will pack more than 500bhp and a near-400-mile range into a car little larger than the current model, according to the brand’s CEO Philippe Krief.
Speaking to UK media at the unveiling of the new A390 SUV, Krief revealed the first technical details of the all-electric rival to the Porsche Cayman, hinting at next-gen powertrain technology and promising a kerb weight below its petrol-powered competitors.
The former Ferrari engineering chief said that the new A110 EV will use a rear-mounted, two-motor setup to produce “a lot” of power. Pushed for a figure, he confirmed the new model would have more than 500bhp. “There will be enough power, I guarantee,” he said.
It is believed that the new electric A110 could use in-wheel motors similar to those in the Renault 5 Turbo 3E to produce this power while keeping weight down. Krief also said that a three-motor, all-wheel-drive version was a possibility, along with a variety of “evolutions” offering different power outputs.
He claimed that the two-door, two-seat coupe would have a range of 600km, around 373 miles but insisted that it would weigh just 1.45 tonnes.
Asked how Alpine – famous for its lightweight approach – would achieve this balance, he said it would use “very high energy density” battery cells, but would not adopt solid state technology. He added that, unlike most EVs, the batteries would not be mounted under the floor because this would make the car too tall. Instead, they are expected to be mounted behind the driver, where the current A110’s engine sits.
He said: “That is just on the battery side. In terms of motors, you are optimising and integrating all the functions – the motors or transmission, inverter, DC-to-DC charger, everything in one box. Then in terms of vehicle integration, you fight for every millimetre you can to reduce every kilo on each single part. I’m not saying that it’s easy.”
The electric A110 will be the first of four cars built on the French brand’s Alpine Performance Platform (APP) and, according to Krief, will use the benefits of electrification to replicate the current A110’s involving drive.
“If you give a car a sense of the benefit of electricity – quickness in steering, quickness in responding, quickness in braking and quickness in recovering from understeer – then you have the feeling your car is light,” he said.
“And this [is where] electric has a huge advantage because in terms of response time you know it’s 10 times faster [than an ICE powertrain].”
While happy to share technical information, Kreif would not be led on pricing for the new A110 EV, but did say a near-production ready car would be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2026.
‘Electric cars are a win for us’
Kreif also said he was confident Alpine’s focus on electrification was the right one, even as some rivals such as Lotus were slowing their EV strategy. He said: “We are not selling electric cars. We are selling sporty cars, passionate cars, exclusive cars – that are electric.
“And we don’t think that we are going to suffer in the electric market, especially on the APP cars. We think that they will win for us.”
He did concede, however, that the brand was ready for any regulatory change and confirmed an ICE version of the new A110 was technically possible.
The A110 EV is part of Alpine’s “Dream Garage” alongside the A290 hot hatch and A390 SUV. By 2030, the brand intends to launch seven new models, including a hybrid-powered hypercar with more than 1,000bhp.
