Alpine Promises A310 Electric Four-Seater Will Be Light and Agile
Alpine sees a sporty two-plus-two EV as key to its ambitions of becoming a higher-volume automaker.
June brought us the good news that Alpine is bringing its fine sports cars to the U.S. in 2027. The French brand has now revealed its plans for a potent sports car that promises electric power in a nimble, lightweight package.
As covered by Autocar, Alpine is reviving the A310 name for an upcoming four-seater EV. It's part of the French brand's plan to launch seven electric vehicles by 2030. The A310 is slated to be built on the Alpine Performance Platform, which will also underpin the upcoming electric A110 coupe launching in 2027. The A310 is expected to be a sports car offering a touch more practicality when compared with the more distilled experience of the two-seater A110, vying to compete with the Porsche 911.
Despite the brand's pending transition to electric drive, however, it hopes to buck the industry trend towards ever-heavier curb weights. "If all our future models are going to be electric, they’re going to be true Alpines," said Bruce Pillard, marketing director at Alpine. "They will have the DNA of agility and lightness. Even if it’s an electric car with a battery inside, you’re going to feel the lightness. That’s very important.”
The idea of a light electric sports car is obviously a desirable one. At the same time, many customers want good range out of their EVs, and that means adding more heavy batteries to the equation. Alpine has a tough road to walk between giving the A310 sharp handling and an enjoyable driving experience, and giving it enough range to be practical. Newer technology will help in this quest if Alpine can get access to emerging technology, like solid-state batteries. Regardless, given Alpine's desire for lightness, the A310 is unlikely to be the longest range EV on the market. For a lively and exciting sports car, though, that may not be a huge drawback.
Alpine hopes the A310 will become "an icon of future sports cars." We may not have long to wait to see how the design pans out, either. Design director Antony Villain noted that the final design is on track to be finished in 18 months. Having a four-seater is seen as key to the brand's desire to reach a larger volume market beyond its current niche.
Beyond the A310, Alpine has plenty of other exciting product lined up. The next A110 will exist as both a coupe and a roadster, while the brand also plans to launch the A290 hot hatch based on the Renault 5 EV. The upcoming GT X-Over will see the brand join the hotly contested crossover segment. The lineup will also be filled out by a pair of luxury sedans expected to sit in the compact and mid-sized segments, roughly equivalent to BMW's 3 Series and 5 Series. It's not guaranteed that all these models will reach the U.S., but a subset of the most desirable are likely to be seen when Alpine reaches American shores in 2027.
As much as enthusiasts love a barebones, focused coupe, the business case for a four-seater sports car is often more compelling. Building the A310 in this configuration could be a great way for Alpine to shift more product and fulfill its aspirations of becoming a more popular volume automaker. Whether it can deliver on the promise of a light, sporty EV will come down to smart design and engineering.
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