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It’s been about 18 months since Alpine announced that they would be an EV-only brand this decade. We know the company plans to expand its lineup to include crossovers and hatchbacks, but both are still a few years away from production. For now, Alpine is offering the A110, but the new prototype provides a glimpse into the brand’s electrified future.
Alpine is calling the EV prototype the A110 E-ternity, and engineers were able to fit a battery and electric motor into the coupe. It’s quite a feat, with Alpine having to modify 12 battery modules, placing four at the front and eight at the rear. EV powertrains are not light, and the Alpine EV adds about 568 pounds (258 kilograms) over the ICE variant, weighing in at 3,037 lbs (1,378 kG). Alpine targets 2,910 lbs (1,320 kg).
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Alpine borrows powertrain components from the Renault Mégane E-Tech. The E-ternity produces 238 horsepower (178 kilowatts) and 221 pound-feet (300 Newton-meters) of torque. The ICE variant produces slightly more power, producing 288 hp (215 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm). The ICE is also faster at up to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour), taking 4.4 seconds for the 4.5 EV.
Alpine did a lot more with the A110 than swapping the powertrain. The E-ternity prototype also includes other innovations, such as an open roof design. The brand was able to engineer a roof that can be removed without affecting the rigidity of the car, which Alpine made with recycled carbon. Alpine designed and built it himself. Alpine also makes several components from hemp, which it calls the “material of the future”.
Another innovation Alpine added swaps your signature dashboard-mounted infotainment screen for the driver’s personal tablet. This car is also equipped with an eight-speaker sound system with a subwoofer.
The Alpine A110 E-ternity doesn’t look any different from its ICE counterpart. The car will make its world premiere at the upcoming French Formula 1 Grand Prix. Alpine is partnering with Lotus in 2021, and the two are working on a new sports car that will be the next A110. The car is supposed to use a modular platform that Lotus developed, and we were quite excited to arrive after seeing a possible EV with Alpine’s new prototype.
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