The fully-electric Alpine A290 will accelerate into the UK next year with power of 220 hp and an expected 236-mile range, the French manufacturer has confirmed.
We’ve been getting excited about the A290 since it was first unveiled last year as a concept and we most recently saw it being tested in the depths of an Arctic winter.
Now Alpine has revealed some of the A290’s key stats ahead of it arriving on the leasing market in 2025.
The first thing you need to know is that the A290 is based on the incoming Renault 5, another electric hatch that’ll become available early next year.
Alpine has taken the 5 and made it altogether more enticing.
The A290 will be available to lease with a choice of two different powertrains, both built around a modest 52 kWh battery.
The base ‘GT’ engine offers 180 hp while the more potent ‘GTS’ set-up has 220 hp alongside 300 Nm of torque and is capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in 6.4 seconds.
That’s not rocket ship quick but it still trumps rivals like the CUPRA Born or the new MINI Cooper Electric. It’s also made possible by the fact that the A290 weighs just 1,479 kg.
Alpine says the throttle response of the A290 has been specially calibrated to make its hot-hatch a ‘genuine sports car that is easy to control despite its electric motor's high levels of power and torque’. Speaking of which, there’s a sophisticated torque management system - called ‘Alpine Torque Technology’ - to make sure you can actually put the power down to the road in an effective way.
You’ll find a cool motorsports-inspired ‘Overtake’ function. Punch a red button on the steering wheel and it delivers extra power for the time it is pressed, for up to 10 seconds. The A290 has a launch control function for rapid standing starts.
Sophisticated multi-link rear suspension should ensure that the A290 is an absolute hoot in the twisties.
And the ‘Alpine Sound’ artificially engine note is ‘intentionally very sporty, with a unique sound pattern designed to provide immersion in the A290’, says Alpine.
When it comes to charging, the Alpine A290 supports 100 kW DC fast charging which lets you replenish the battery from 15-80% in 30 minutes. A heat pump is fitted as standard, helping you to achieve that target range of 236 miles between trips to the plug.
Meanwhile there’s also clever V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) wizardry, the latter of which can help you save dosh when you charge at home.
The A290 itself will be offered in four different flavours.
The entry-level 180 hp model is called the GT. You can expect 19-inch alloys with special Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires, full LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, a Nappa leather sports steering wheel, heated sports seats, and a 10.1-inch infotainment system that’s fully loaded with Google services built in.
The GT Premium keeps the 180 hp powertrain but adds extras like a black roof, tinted rear windows, blue brake callipers, an uprated sound system, and wireless phone charging.
The GT Performance makes use of the grin-inducing 220 hp powertrain and features racier styling with black monograms as well as Alpine Telemetrics for when you head to the track.
And the range-topping 220 hp GTS model combines all of the best bits from the GT Premium and GT Performance models while also adding black Snowflake wheels.
On top of all that, the Alpine A290 should also offer decent practicality, coming with five seats and a generous 326-litre boot capacity.
Philippe Krief, CEO Alpine, said: “This urban sportscar marks the introduction of Alpine to a broader public and resurrects a forgotten category, the hot hatch, so much loved for the driving pleasure it delivers."
There’s no word on price just yet but will bring you those details when they arrive.
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