Brand boss Philippe Krief confirmed sports car’s advanced new platform “is designed to accommodate an ICE”
The next-generation Alpine A110 will arrive later this year with an electric powertrain for the first time – and brand boss Philippe Krief confirmed an ICE variant is also in the works.
In electric form it will be “the first true EV sports car” and will “outperform the best of today’s combustion” rivals, said Krief.
The new model will sit on an advanced new architecture – which, as Autocar has previously revealed, is shared with the Renault 5 Turbo 3E – and will be key in positioning the Renault Group as a leading electric performance firm.
“And before you ask, yes the platform is designed to accommodate an internal combustion engine,” Krief confirmed today. Until now, Alpine had always officially said the next A110 would be EV only.
The new A110 will eventually be offered in a range of body styles, including coupe, spider and a 2+2, with the goal to develop it into a full range to mirror combustion-powered rivals such as the Porsche 911.
The EV will sit on the new Alpine Performance Platform (APP), which will use 800V technology and features an aluminium structure to make it as light as possible without compromising stiffness. The platform will also be modular, which the firm claims will body dynamic response and efficiency.
The A110 will offer a 40/60 front:rear balance through the use of two separate battery packs in the architecture, which notably enables it to retain the existing ICE A110’s shape. The platform will use a new rear dual e-motor system with a pair of motors powering the rear wheels. As Autocar has reported, in-wheel motors, as seen on the Turbo 3E, could eventually be offered.
The EV will sit on full aluminium suspension, and feature integrated braking and steering systems. The platform also features a new Alpine Dynamic Model computer ECU, which is described as the architecture’s “high-tech brain” that will integrate systems such as the battery management, e-motors, braking, steering and active aerodynamics.
Active torque vectoring will be used to ensure the car retains the lightweight feel of the current A110, despite the extra weight of the EV batteries, and the firm also claims a “Formula 1-inspired driving position” will add to the feel.
The A110 will grow Alpine’s electric line-up to three models, alongside the A290 hatch and A390 fastback. Having surpassed 10,000 sales last year, the firm is aiming to continue that growth in the future.
