Alpine may add petrol engine to new A110 electric sports car due to US demand

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Alpine will decide whether to offer an ICE-powered A110 later this year.

If approved, it would join the EV and arrive in approximately two years.

US market appears to be a key driver pushing Alpine towards ICE.

Alpine used the Goodwood Festival of Speed to introduce a development mule known as the A110 Future. It hints at the upcoming electric sports car, which might not be EV-only.

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Speaking to PistonHeads , Alpine CEO Philippe Krief said development will be wrapped up by October and “by then we will know how much it will cost to develop a petrol version.” With that figure in hand, the company will be able to decide whether or not to build an ICE-powered version late this year. If the gassy variant is given the green light, it could take around two years to put into production.

More: Alpine Previews Next-Gen A110 With Electric Mule

While that’s a ways off, the executive noted taxes on ICE-powered cars are “extraordinary” in France. To deal with this, the company is reportedly considering pricing the car either high or low. Going the high route would enable the gas-powered model to appeal to wealthy customers who could shrug off high taxes, while going the low route would broaden the customer base, but likely result in some tradeoffs such as reduced performance or equipment.

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That isn’t the only issue at hand as Alpine is still eyeing a potential launch in the United States . Americans aren’t sold on EVs, so a petrol-powered A110 would be critical to the company’s success stateside.

While only time will tell what happens, Krief said the electric variant should be good for “at least 20 minutes of track time at maximum speed.” That doesn’t sound like much, but he claimed that would be at least as good as the old gas-powered model, when you factor in tires and the need to let the brakes cool off. The electric variant is also expected to gain around 661 lbs (300 kg) compared to the outgoing coupe.

Alpine

Krief went on to hint at a high-performance special edition, which could borrow a few cues from the Renault 5 Turbo 3E . While that remains to be seen, the publication said the new Alpine Performance Platform has been designed to underpin at least two-generations of the A110.

Alpine hasn’t revealed much about the car, but has previously said the redesigned A110 will have two battery packs and a 40:60 weight distribution. The model will also have 800V technology and “high energy density cells to reduce weight and charging time.”

The batteries will power a new 3-in-1 rear e-axle with dual electric motors, which promise to deliver “exceptional torque, performance, and ultrafast control.” We can also expect an aluminum suspension with “new integrated braking and steering systems.”

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Goodwood Run

At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the company added the A110 will be able to outperform the “best of today’s combustion sports cars.” Alpine went on to say 25% of the car’s overall battery capacity will be mounted up front, while the remaining 75% resides in the rear. They’re housed in a “high-pressure die-cast aluminum casing that contributes directly to the car’s structural stiffness.”

The firm went on to say customers can expect Active Torque Vectoring 2.0 and a Wheel Slip Torque Control system that helps to reduce understeer. They’ll be joined by an intense “e-motor-driven sound,” which can be heard during its run at Goodwood.

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