► Lotus and Alpine part company
► Both were working on sports EV platform
► What’s next for Alpine?
Lotus and Alpine’s EV project is over. A statement released this week confirmed that the two companies are no longer working on a shared electric sports car platform – though it doesn’t rule out any further collaborations in the future. The statement reads as follows:
‘Lotus and Alpine have been collaborating on a future EV sports car vision for more than two years, during which time a strong relationship between the two companies has developed. As with any collaboration following an MoU, the outcome was not guaranteed. We have decided not to progress with the joint development of a sports car for Alpine. This is a mutual decision reached amicably and we will continue to discuss other future opportunities.’
Why were Lotus and Alpine working together in the first place?
Lotus and Alpine may be rivals, but they both face the challenge of making a lightweight EV – and in a world where R&D continues to rise, it made sense to work together.
‘Lotus and us share the same preoccupations which is trying to make a light, agile – the two of them being often very linked – sporty cars while obviously adding weight and electrifying,’ Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi told us at the 2022 British F1 GP. ‘So, it is only normal that we think about those challenges together at least upstream. And then we’ll we’ll see whether or not we partner up.’
‘It’s a simple investigation of the characteristics of the cars we want to produce, and the commonality of the solutions will apply to produce those cars. We have a good six months until we need to make a final decision because then you work the clock backwards until start of production,’ he added.
That decision was a no, it turns out.
However, that doesn’t mean Alpine and Lotus aren’t forging on with their own EV programs. Just weeks ago, the Alpine revealed its stunning A290 EV concept, and this week our spy photographers also spotted Lotus’ forthcoming Porsche Taycan rival, the Type 133.
Any more sporty EVs from Alpine coming?
Yes. Alpine has also confirmed two more cars are on the way, using Groupe Renault’s electric platforms. A new electric B-segment hot hatch and a C-segment crossover SUV are confirmed, using the CMF-B EV and CMF-EV platforms respectively.
Groupe Renault is streamlining chains of command by collecting the Alpine cars division, Renault Sport and the new Alpine F1 team under one roof. The departure of Cyril Abiteboul – who was to run this new streamlined division – was a surprise, but it gives new Alpine boss, Laurent Rossi, a chance to start from scratch under Groupe boss Luca de Meo’s hefty target of becoming profitable by 2025.
‘The new Alpine entity takes three brands with separate assets and areas of excellence to turn them into an empowered, fully-fledged business,’ he said at the ‘Renaultlution’ industrial turnaround plan, ‘The craftsmanship from our plant in Dieppe, the engineering mastery from our Formula One and Renault Sport teams will shine through our tech-infused, 100% electric line-up, taking the beautiful Alpine name to the future.
Electric SUVs on shared platforms? Is that sporty?
Rossi is also keen reiterate that the brand’s sporty credentials will extend to whatever sector they dip into – from sports cars to hatchbacks and SUVs – regardless of platform sharing.
‘There’s nothing more similar than two electric cars nowadays,’ Rossi admits, when we press him on the disadvantages of sharing an electric skateboard. ‘Same platforms electric power distributed to all wheels if you’re lucky, and it’s pretty much like a matter of fine tuning the output of the engine,’ he adds. However, Alpine and Rossi are sure sports will remain at the forefront of all their products, and that advantages in terms of chassis dynamics and agility can be ‘baked-in’ to the platforms beforehand.
’It’s going to be sports at the centre,’ says Rossi on the forthcoming SUV. ‘We define our brand as born from racing made by racers for racers at heart. So the idea is to really keep racing and racing sensations if you will, central in the way we define the next batch of cars.’
‘You won’t find in Alpine necessarily the latest and greatest autonomous driving features or auto parking kind of stuff. You will always have sporty sensations sporty technology – even in the SUVs.’