Alpine has introduced its new model, the A390, an all-wheel drive inspired by the brand’s heritage.
To offer electric propulsion, Alpine’s engineers and developers created a set of three electric motors (one at the front, two at the rear) that form an all-wheel drive (AWD) system and enable the development of the Alpine Active Torque Vectoring system, which aims to enhances dynamism, safety and agility.
Its Ampere electric platform and energy services for home charging, including Mobilize Power, the V2G bidirectional charging (in France), make it part of a comprehensive electric ecosystem.
The A390 was designed and manufactured in France at the brand’s historic Manufacture in Dieppe.
Its engines are manufactured at the Cléon plant, while its Verkor batteries use cells and modules produced in Dunkirk and assembled in Douai.
Philippe Krief, chief operating officer at Alpine, said: “The Alpine A390 shows how to reinvent the spirit of the A110 in a 5-seat sport fastback.
“The A390 is the quintessential Alpine, combining sportiness and performance with technology and refinement, all for a unique driving experience that is equally suited to everyday use and more spirited driving.
“Inspired by French design expertise, its distinctive styling will delight all lovers of beautiful sports cars, just as Alpine has done for more than 70 years.
“Above all, this all-wheel-drive sport fastback is the finished product from a team of passionate men and women who believe electric sportiness is meaningful and are working hard to do it justice.”
Six body colours are available: Noir Profond, Bleu Abysse, Bleu Alpine Vision, Argent Mercure, Blanc Topaze and Gris tonnerre mat (Atelier 2025).
Antony Villain, vice president of design, added: “Even before its stylistic expression, the A390’s proportions are visible from afar with its A110-inspired profile.
“It offers a unique silhouette, an expression of the dynamic behaviour of our sport fastback.
“It features many elements from our A390_β show car, and its lighting signature takes its inspiration directly from the Alpine Alpenglow concept and the A424 Hypercar competing in the World Endurance Championship.”
The cockpit has 12.3-inch and 12-inch high-definition screens facing the drivers and physical climate control allows drivers to adjust settings without taking their eyes off the road.
The Alpine A390 features five doors, supportive rear seating for side passengers during dynamic driving, and a 532-litre boot with optional double floor.
The A390 features the latest generation of driver assistance systems (ADAS), with a dashboard display showing the car’s surroundings.
New features such as driver attention monitoring with progressive emergency braking, automatic emergency braking extended from forward to reverse, lane departure warning and, when parking, safe exit for occupants complement traditional aids.
The ‘My Safety’ button beside the steering wheel allows the driver to select their ADAS settings with a single touch, choosing whether to activate or deactivate them, their level of intervention and the presence of audible alerts.
The A390 features cruise control with ‘stop & go’ as standard and – depending on the version – a function that allows the vehicle to move out of the way to let two-wheeled vehicles pass, for example.
Sovany Ang, vice president of product performance at Alpine, said: “We set the bar very high in terms of performance for the A390.
“Our engineers and test drivers have developed innovations that enable us to meet this technological challenge and achieve performance worthy of an A110 while ensuring the safety and comfort of a versatile electric fastback.
“Combined with its unique design, we are extremely proud of the result: a new Alpine that is as innovative as it is faithful to the brand’s spirit. See you at the next corner!”
The A390 draws on the electrical expertise of Ampere’s local sites to support the model’s international ambitions: the electric motors come from the Ampere Manufacture in Cléon, while the Verkor batteries use modules produced in Dunkerque and assembled at the Ampere Electricity Manufacture in Douai.
Anne-Catherine Basset, industrial director of the manufacture Alpine Dieppe Jean Rédélé, said: “It took two years to prepare the site to house the Alpine A390 to enable production with twice as many part numbers to be delivered and three times as many lorry flows each day, making the Manufacture Alpine Dieppe Jean Rédélé the Renault Group’s most compact plant.
“More than 10,000 hours of training have been distilled to adapt skills and provide the necessary authorisations for the assembly of electric vehicles.
“The arrival of 80 new employees of all profiles, from operators to managers, brings the total number of employees to 377 today, all passionate about the brand.”
All tyres fitted to the Alpine A390 are Michelin-branded and feature A39 markings, the French manufacturer co-developed the tyres to offer the best possible grip and range.
The tyres are suited to the A390’s suspension design and handling, ensuring that these performance characteristics are maintained even when the tyres are replaced during the car’s lifetime.
Robert Bonetto, vice president of vehicle projects, said: “The driving force behind developing the A390’s dynamics was to make it as fast and agile as the A110.
“To achieve this, we had to eliminate the impact of the battery’s weight with a technical solution to enhance the perceived lightness.
“The design with three motors and Alpine Active Torque Vectoring made it possible to interact between the motors to manage the torque between the front and rear axles as well as on the outer wheel to influence the balance, transitioning from understeer to neutral or even oversteer, thereby acting on the handling.”
Laurent Hurgon, development driver at Alpine, added: “Thanks to the Alpine Active Torque Vectoring enabled by the A390’s three engines, its dynamic handling and driving feel are very natural, with excellent man-machine feedback: the car is responsive to load transfers and allows drifting without counter steering.
“The bespoke tyres developed with Michelin also contribute significantly to the overall balance. The result is a truly sporty driving experience in 100% electric mode.”
The driving dynamics were designed to be natural and accessible to all, with pedal modulation, direct steering with feedback and braking with no perceptible transition between regenerative and friction braking.
An Overtake function, controlled from the steering wheel via a red button (called OV), delivers extra power for up to 10 seconds when pressed with a recharge time of 30 seconds is needed before it can be used again at full power. This feature, inspired by motorsport and gaming, has been patented.
The A390 offers a launch control function, allowing for acceleration from a standing start.
Alpine Drive Sound provides audible feedback to the driver to reflect the torque output of the A390’s three electric motors, enhancing the driving experience in the absence of engine noise.
Developed in collaboration with acousticians and musicians, it offers two distinct sound profiles based on measurements of the vehicle’s electric motor vibrations.
In both cases, two levels of sound reproduction in the cabin via the audio system specially designed for the A390 are available, and they can also be muted completely.
The Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS), which is mandatory for up to 3 km/h to warn pedestrians of the approach of an electric vehicle, was also designed with a choice of an Alpine sound or a more neutral sound.
Thanks to the 89kWh battery capacity, the A390 offers a range of up to 555km (WLTP cycle, subject to approval) with 20-inch wheels and up to 52 km (WLTP cycle, subject to approval) with 21-inch wheels.
DC fast charging can reach 190kW, and can maintain high charging power for long periods, which requires intelligent charging management.
The A390’s excellent average charging power allows it to recharge in less than 20 minutes, to recover 2 hours of motorway driving, and go from 15% to 80% charge in less than 25 minutes.
Google Maps GPS navigation includes an EV route planner, which considers the route, charge level, battery temperature, real-time consumption and automatic preconditioning of the traction battery to calculate the itinerary by optimising charging stages.
Charging aims to be easier due to the Mobilize ecosystem and free access to a ChargePass.
The 11-kW on-board charger (22 kW optional) includes a V2L-compatible bi-directional charging function with an optional adapter for charging an electric bike, for example, and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) for savings on home charging with the Mobilize Power service.
The instrument panel in front of the driver aims to stands out with its specific graphic codes, clearly displaying the power output or charge level on the left and the speed on the right.
It includes a red line to symbolise the speed limits the sign reading system displays. The regeneration level is shown at the bottom of the screen.
The A390 includes Internet access for downloading and using apps, listening to music and watching videos, connecting a smartphone to the onboard system, either wired or wirelessly, also makes it possible to display its content.
Live Data displays driving data according to four different themes:
- Agility: lateral and longitudinal G-forces, ABS/ESC activation, Overtake boost.
- Power: acceleration and braking monitoring (regenerative or hydraulic), battery recharge, and Overtake boost potential.
- Endurance: consumption, accumulated energy and battery status.
- Circuit: lap times, car data (engine and battery temperature, tyre pressure and temperature, brake temperature, regenerative and hydraulic braking percentage, front/rear motor torque and speed, coasting time, thermal management of the three motors).
The A390 offers an onboard coaching feature that is aimed at helping drivers better understand the vehicle, use Alpine Telemetrics, and develop driving skills at their own pace.
Covering both basic and advanced techniques, the program includes A390-specific insights and evolves over time with input from the car’s engineers and development drivers.
