New 2025 Alpine A290 electric hot hatch revealed

After much teasing, the new 2025 Alpine A290 has finally been revealed ahead of its official launch in Europe early next year.

Like the all-new Renault 5 electric hatch on which it’s based, the battery-electric hot hatch presents even chunkier SUV-style black wheel-arch extensions, side skirts and a rear diffuser to mimic a mini-WRC racer.

It also broadcasts its performance intent with 19-inch wheels and headlights with X-shaped motifs but, more importantly, the Alpine A290 will be faster and more dynamic than the Renault 5 thanks to extensive chassis and powertrain upgrades.

With both the new Abarth 500e and upcoming MINI Cooper JCW in its sights, the new zero-emissions hot hatch has swapped out the R5’s 110kW e-motor for the punchier powertrain that drives the bigger Renault Megane E-Tech electric SUV.

That means the A290 will be available with powertrains outputting either 130kW/285Nm (badged GT) or 160kW/300Nm (GTS and GT Performance), although both variants come with bespoke software to offer sportier power delivery.

Combined with the Renault 5’s largest 52kWh battery pack, Alpine says the new A290 should be capable of covering up to 380km on a single charge, although an official WLTP figure has yet to be homologated.

Capable of being topped up at up to 100kW, a 15 to 80 per cent recharge takes around 30 minutes, says Alpine.

Like the R5, the A290 offers bidirectional charging and has vehicle-to-grid capability, allowing energy stored in its battery to be sold back to the grid in times of high demand.

Off the mark, the quickest A290 GTS and GT Performance can launch from 0-100km/h in just 6.4 seconds and top out at 170km/h, while the less powerful A290 GT can hit 100km/h from rest in 7.4sec and reach 160km/h.

Helping both acceleration and agility, Alpine says the A290 weighs in at around 1479kg – which is a healthy 126kg lighter than the MINI Cooper Electric.

Beneath the skin there have been some comprehensive updates to ensure the A290 is more than a warmed-over Renault 5.

Alpine says it has developed a new sub-frame for the electric motor, for example, while also redesigning the front suspension to widen the track by up to 60mm.

There’s also revised suspension knuckles, bespoke spring and dampers and fresh anti-roll bars, plus the same hydraulic bump stops first introduced back on the Renault Megane RS 300 (2017-2022).

Bigger Brembo brakes and specially-developed tyres complete the upgrades, although there’s no mechanical limited-slip differential up front to allow the hot Alpine to deploy its torque more efficiently.

At the back, the R5’s multi-link rear suspension carries over and could one day allow a second motor to be packaged, but for now the A290 remains front-drive with a 57:43 weight distribution.

From launch, European markets will be offered four A290 trims – the entry-level GT and the GT Premium, which both offer 130kW, and the GT Performance and flagship GTS, which get the higher-output 160kW e-motor.

Instead of replicating the sound of hot four, V6 or V8 engine, Alpine says it has created a soundtrack based on the “natural harmonics” of the e-motor.

Inside, there’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster plus a 10.1-inch infotainment touch-screen using a Google-based operating system.

Changes to the R5 cabin include a new steering wheel with an ‘OV’ (overtake) boost button and a pair of sporty bucket seats.

Making its debut in the A290 is Alpine’s new Telemetrics system, which offers Live Data, Challengers and Coaching functions, the latter aimed at helping drivers go faster on the racetrack with advice on braking and even drifting.

In the right-hand drive UK market, pricing is expected to kick-off from around £36,000 ($A69,000), which should make the little Alpine A290 over $10,000 more expensive than the Abarth 500e, which is priced from $58,900 in Australia.

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