Get ready to breathe that clean Alpine air, as Renault’s sports car marque transitions into a 100 per cent electric brand.
The Alpine range will grow beyond the A110 sports car, of which the all-electric next generation will be developed with Lotus.
Opening the expanded Alpine range will be an all-electric B-segment hot hatch based on the CMF-B EV platform, upon which the revived Renault 5 is expected to sit.
In between the hot hatch and the next-generation A110 will be a crossover based on the CMF-EV platform that will also underpin the Nissan Ariya.
It’s being referred to as a C-segment SUV, the appellation used for the mid-sized SUV segment in Europe.
The company released a teaser image that shows each model’s unique LED daytime running light signatures, with the unnamed hot hatch’s DRLs reminding us of the spicier Gordini version of the old Renault R8.
Alpine has promised to infuse Formula 1 technology into its road cars, including efficient energy management technology, safety systems and connectivity.
“Alpine will move from a kind of nostalgic position to become our chance to play avant grade,” said Renault CEO Luca de Meo.
Renault is also aiming for Alpine to be profitable by 2025, including in its motorsport efforts.
Far from being on the chopping block as was previously thought, Alpine is a key pillar of Renault’s path forward. You can read more about Renault’s plans here.
Renault Sport Racing and tuning arm Renault Sport Cars are being rebranded under the Alpine name, with Laurent Rossi named Alpine CEO following Cyril Abiteboul’s surprise departure earlier this month.
The rebranding also includes Renault Sport Racing’s Formula 1 team, with Renault arguing F1 racing provides a huge marketing platform that will help raise awareness of the Alpine brand.
“The craftsmanship from our plant in Dieppe, the engineering mastery from our Formula One and Renault Sport teams will shine through our tech-infused, 100 per cent electric line-up, taking the beautiful Alpine name to the future,” said new Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi.
Alpine and Lotus have signed a memorandum of understanding to “study a number of areas of cooperation, including the joint development of an EV sports car”.
The two companies will look into whether it’s feasible to engineer, design, develop, and build an all-electric sports car using Lotus facilities in the UK and Alpine’s Dieppe plant in France.
The two will also look into pooling their motorsports experience together, leveraging Alpine’s current Formula 1 program and looking at Formula E and endurance racing.
Alpine said it will also leverage Renault’s global manufacturing footprint, suggesting upcoming Alpine models will be produced both at the firm’s Dieppe plant in France but also other factories, while also taking advantage of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s global distribution network.
Executives have also indicated Alpine branding will be used for hot Renault models moving forward in place of Renault Sport.
