The Alpine A290 hot hatch will be presented to the world during the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13th while its endurance racing team competes on the track.

Alpine’s first 100% electric vehicle’s foundations can be traced back to the concept that was revealed in May last year, with the French brand wanting to build a city car with sporting credentials. The road going version was recently tested in freezing conditions in Sweden ahead of its official launch and will go up against the likes of the MG4 XPower and Abarth 500e when it officially hits the market.

It is a good looking car and will use the same AmpR small platform as the upcoming Renault 5 E-Tech but is expected to have more power, improved braking and better suspension than its French counterpart. Both will make use of a 58kWh battery.

Prices for the Renault 5 have yet to be announced, though it is expected they will begin between £26-30k. The new Alpine A290 is likely to command a little bit higher when officially launched.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Alpine