Alpine, a sports car brand owned by Renault Group, has unveiled an all-electric hot hatch known as the A290. The car, which is already in production in France, is essentially just a dual-motor variant of the Renault 5 with reduced acceleration times and a sharper look.
In its most basic spec, the Alpine A290 delivers 180 PS (178 hp / 132 kW) and 285 Nm (210 lb-ft) to all four wheels. It takes 7.4 seconds to launch from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) and hits its speed ceiling at 160 km/h (99 mph).
The more expensive GT Performance and GTS specs both make 220 PS (217 hp / 162 kW) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque. They are a full second faster at the sprint and marginally faster on the highway with the speed cap at 170 km/h (105 mph).
Alpine claims it made adjustments to the accelerator pedal to ensure “vivid emotions” whenever you step on it. A system called Drive Sound supplies an artificial soundtrack to the otherwise silent electric powertrain while driving and has two modes to switch between. When fully charged, the A290 gets up to 380 km (236 miles) of range out of its 52-kWh battery array.
Elsewhere, the electric hot hatch benefits from better stabilizers, four-piston brakes with 320mm discs for reliable deceleration, and other sports-friendly modifications. At the same time, the company assures us it is still every bit as comfortable for casual daily driving.
Compared to the Renault 5 it shares the platform with, the A290 wears a much sportier-looking body kit including special bumpers and widened arches. It has seats with enhanced lateral support inside, a new steering wheel with a “boost” button, and a regenerative brake level selector. The gear selector is implemented in the form of three buttons on the center tunnel.
