A Challenge for the Electric Age
The hot hatchback has always been about a simple, winning formula: take a practical small car, add a punchy engine, stiffen the suspension, and create an affordable, fun-to-drive package. But electrification complicates things. Heavy battery packs can
blunt agility, and the instant, silent torque of an electric motor, while fast, can lack the progressive engagement that makes a petrol engine so thrilling. As the industry shifts, many have wondered if the soul of the hot hatch would be lost in translation. Automakers like Hyundai with its Ioniq 5 N and Cupra with its Born VZ have already shown that performance is possible, but the question of pure, unadulterated fun remains a key challenge.
Alpine's Answer: The A290_B
Enter the Alpine A290_β, where 'β' stands for Beta. This show car is a radical vision of a future electric city sports car, based on the same platform as the upcoming Renault 5. But this is no mere re-badging exercise. Alpine, Renault's performance arm with a rich rallying and sports car heritage, has re-engineered the vehicle from the ground up with a singular focus: driver enjoyment. The A290_B serves as a preview for the production A290, the first of three models in Alpine's all-electric 'Dream Garage'. It’s a statement of intent that the brand’s core values of agility and performance will define its electric future.
Engineered for Excitement
The A290_B concept car was packed with technology designed to make it feel alive. The prototype featured two electric motors at the front, enabling sophisticated torque vectoring to precisely control power to each wheel for sharper handling. It also boasted a multi-link rear axle, a feature usually reserved for larger, more premium cars, to enhance stability and control. The wide track, short wheelbase, and specially developed Michelin tyres were all chosen to create a playful, go-kart-like feel. A motorsport-inspired steering wheel even included a red 'OV' (Overtake) button for a ten-second power boost, a feature directly inspired by Formula 1.
A Cockpit Like No Other
Perhaps the most dramatic feature of the A290_B was its interior. In a bold move that blurred the lines between road and race car, Alpine gave the prototype a central driving position, just like a McLaren F1 or a Formula 1 car. The driver sits in a carbon-fibre bucket seat in the middle, flanked by two passenger seats set slightly further back. This layout provides a perfectly symmetrical view of the road and enhances the feeling of being at one with the machine. The dashboard is a minimalist, arrow-shaped design, and in a deliberate rejection of the screen-heavy trend, the show car had no central infotainment display, only a simple head-up display for vital information.
From Wild Concept to Road-Ready Reality
The production version of the Alpine A290, which has already been revealed, understandably tones things down. The central driving position is gone in favour of a conventional five-seat layout, and the dual-motor setup has been swapped for a single, powerful motor driving the front wheels, available with up to 220 horsepower. However, much of the prototype's spirit remains. The production car keeps a wide track (60mm wider than its Renault 5 sibling), gets its own bespoke suspension with hydraulic bump stops for a blend of comfort and control, and features powerful brakes adapted from the A110 sports car. It even retains a version of the F1-style steering wheel and the 'Overtake' boost button, ensuring a tangible link to its wilder concept sibling. Early reviews praise it for being genuinely agile and fun, earning it awards for being a top fun EV.
