RENAULT 

Next generation Alpine A110 is electric

Unlike many competitors, Alpine remains determined to become 100% electric. After the A290 and A390, it is preparing to launch the EV successor to the A110 in 2026, which will include some key advantages.

We have already reported that the successor to the A110, Alpine's lightweight and agile two-seater coupé, with shapes reminiscent of the model of the same name that won the first World Rally Championship in 1973, will be replaced by a 100% electric model. Now, the Renault Group's sports brand has decided to release an image of the new A110 EV, still covered, taking the opportunity to share some of the advantages that the new electric coupé will boast.

After being reborn as a vehicle manufacturer in 2017 (the brand ceased production in 1995), with the launch of the gasoline-powered A110, Alpine began its journey towards 100% electric mobility in late 2024, when it launched the A290, based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, followed by the first deliveries of the A390 in late 2025, the electric crossover to compete with the Porsche Macan. For late 2026, Alpine has reserved the start of sales of the A110 EV, the exclusively battery-powered coupé that should be shown to the public for the first time in October at the Paris Motor Show, followed by opening orders and starting deliveries to customers between the last days of 2026 and the first of 2027, at which point the brand will only offer battery-powered electric vehicles.

Interestingly, this won't be the first time Alpine has designed an electric A110, as a battery-powered version, based on the combustion-engine A110, called the E-Ternité, a convertible prototype, already appeared in 2022. The A110 E-Ternité aimed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the A110, but above all it served as a laboratory for the electric A110 that was to come, but without the limitations of having to use a platform designed for combustion engine vehicles (longer front to accommodate a gasoline engine and its respective gearbox).

The E-Ternité used the same 60 kWh battery as a Megane E-Tech, powering a 242 hp motor, all designed so that this first battery-powered A110 weighed only 1378 kg when placed on the scales. This weight, despite being 300 kg heavier than the gasoline version, is very low for an electric model, so as not to compromise agility, both in curves and in acceleration and braking. And, despite the higher weight, the E-Ternité was able to reach 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, exactly the same value claimed by the Alpine A110 with a 1.8 turbo engine with 252 hp.

The next Alpine A110 EV starts by using a specific platform for battery-powered models, not only to have a longer wheelbase to accommodate a more generous battery, but also to optimize handling, which tends to be more effective with the wheels moved to the extremes of the body. The former CEO of the French group, Luca de Meo, assured that the electric sports car, although with a new chassis and body, will adopt shapes similar to those of the current gasoline-powered A110, but probably stylized. He also guaranteed that the two-seater coupe will remain light, at least as light as its gasoline rivals. And, given Alpine's fixation on Porsche, everything suggests that de Meo was thinking of the 718 Cayman which, even in its cheapest version, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and 300 hp, announces a weight of 1410 kg, but with a larger battery than the one installed in the E-Ternité.

To give the electric sports car a more modern look, the round light signature of the current A110 will become hexagonal, with the interior taking on contours quite distinct from the current generation. In terms of mechanics, the A110 EV will inherit some of the solutions developed for the R5 Turbo 3E, starting with offering a version with only one 340 hp rear motor, powered by a 70 kWh battery to keep the weight down, which should still allow for an announced range of around 480 km. Alpine compensates for the lower battery capacity with faster charging, since the A110 EV has an 800V electrical system (instead of the usual 400V), which makes it possible to recharge at 350 kW and in less time. Similar to the R5 Turbo 3E, there will also be a version of the Alpine with two motors and 540 hp, with the aim of not exceeding 1500 kg in weight, to be able to exceed 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and reach 270 km/h.

2026 is going to be a massive year for Alpine because the A110 – the car the brand has built its name on – is going electric. And Alpine executives are promising that the replacement for the current A110 will still have “soul” and be a worthy rival to Porsche’s upcoming electric Cayman and Boxster.

In a teaser video laying out Alpine’s plans for 2026, the French brand’s boss Philippe Krief said: “The next communication is going to be really fun. With the next generation we will evolve, but keep the original DNA and spirit, the result is just fantastic. Within the first six months of 2026 we will show some really exciting news.”

Both Krief and former Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo – who has now left to head up the Kering fashion empire – have talked in depth to Auto Express about Alpine’s electric replacement for the A110 coupe, revealing a string of technical headlines. 

The electric coupe will ride on a dedicated sports car platform, has a target weight of 1,450kg (close to a Cayman GT4 RS’s), should travel more than 350 miles on a charge, and packs two in-wheel motors that generate “more than enough power – I can guarantee [it],” claimed ex-Ferrari director of engineering Krief.

According to the French press, after competing against the Porsche 718 with the A110 EV, Alpine is expected to go further and launch a larger coupe, with two doors and four seats (or 2+2), based on an extended version of the same platform, the Alpine Performance Platform, to compete with the electric Porsche 911 when it arrives on the market.

The 2028 Alpine A110 will be a 100% electric model; the image above reflects this transition with futuristic design elements:

-Visual identity: It retains the iconic four round headlights, now with ultra-modern LED technology and integrated light signatures.

-Aerodynamics: The body features more fluid and aggressive lines to optimize airflow, essential for electric efficiency.

-Chassis: It is expected to use the new APP (Alpine Performance Platform), focused on maintaining the brand's characteristic lightness.

-Performance: Projections indicate that the electric successor will have an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h close to 3.5 seconds.

by Autonews