Slowly but surely, the automotive industry is going electric. Some markets, like China are embracing EVs at a record pace, while others, including the U.S. remain somewhat resistant. Spearheading the transition away from combustion engines, governments have invested billions and billions of dollars in electric technology, as have manufacturers big and small. Even boutique brands like Alpine, a French sports carmaker that was established in 1955, are shifting to EVs.
This Is The First All-Electric Alpine
Spearheading this transition, Alpine teased its upcoming A390 on February 21 by releasing a shadowy image of the vehicle. It’s hard to tell what’s being shown here, but the company describes this model as a sport fastback. As you might imagine, this automobile will feature a 100 percent electric powertrain.
The A390 is the second model in Alpine’s so-called “dream garage” following in the tire tracks of the brand’s A290. As the name suggests, the new EV is a production version of the A390_β design study that was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show late last year. This concept is a versatile crossover-style vehicle that aims to blend the usefulness of an SUV with the engaging dynamics and fun personality of a sports car.
Alpine’s A390_β rolls on staggered-size wheels – 22-inches at the front and 23s at the rear – that feature a fetching snowflake pattern, appropriate for a company called Alpine. This concept also features numerous design cues borrowed from the Alpenglow Hy4, a hydrogen-powered exotic that looks like it belongs on the starting line of a racetrack. The front of the A390_β is pointed, almost beak-like, somewhat reminiscent of what Acura is doing these days, the paint is a beautiful shade of blue, and there is plenty of drama in the angular body.
The A390 Is Coming Soon
Is there anything new we can glean from the teaser image Alpine just released? Not much, unfortunately. We can see the production model will feature a light bar that runs across the front end and ties in nicely with the headlamps. Additional lighting elements are found underneath those illumination units, and they bring to mind the diamond-faceted lamps Hyundai has used on models like the Tucson crossover utility vehicle. The production A390 also appears to wear a beautiful blue paint job, just like the A390_β and Alpenglow concept vehicles. Finally, there’s a center-mounted number plate visible in the teaser image, a pragmatic addition – and something that will be required if this vehicle is ever driven on public roads – that was missing from the design study.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait too long for Alpine to reveal this upcoming sport fastback. The boutique automaker plans to pull the sheet off this vehicle on May 27, just about three months from now. This reveal will coincide with the brand’s 70th anniversary celebration, which is scheduled to take place in Dieppe, a town on the French channel coast from May 30 to June 1. Mark your calendars for this important reveal, and check TopSpeed regularly for updates about the Alpine A390, and all the latest automotive news.
Read the full article here
