What the Alpine A290 Beta Means for Hot Hatchbacks in an EV World

The Alpine A290_β shows that hot hatches still have a place in the EV world. It will sit alongside other hot hatch EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and the Abarth 500 Electric, meaning that hot hatches may have quite an electrifying future. Literally.

What makes the A290 so exciting

As the A290 is right now just a concept, it has allowed Renault and Alpine to go crazy with the styling. So while it is based on the Renault 5 from 2021, there are wild features, such as the quad lights to accentuate the sporty side of the hatchback. Vertical taillights are featured on the A290 as well, and they are directly derived from the A470 endurance racer. Completing the stunning look is the Powder White paint, with the partially black hood and roof providing a nice contrast to the overall design.

Annoyingly, Alpine has not yet mentioned any of the power figures for the A290. What we do know is that the car benefits from torque vectoring, as well as a rear multi-link suspension. The latter of which is also confirmed for the Renault 5, making it a standard feature on both cars. Alpine has also mentioned that the A290 concept has a stiffer suspension setup than the regular Renault 5, and there are three driving modes which are Wet, Dry, and Full. The production-ready version is coming in 2024, meaning performance specifications are likely to come later, in 2023.

What the A290 means for hot hatches

The electric revolution means hot hatches potentially had no future. But the Alpine A290 shows they do. Other companies feel the same, with the Abarth 500e on the way, a performance version of the Fiat 500 Electric. Perhaps the most intriguing electric hot hatch is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Hyundai has recently been out testing the new model, which will pack a bigger battery capacity than the standard Ioniq 5 and produce at least 600 hp. The standard Renault 5 EV should have around 134 hp, so upwards of 200 hp is likely in the upcoming Alpine version.

The exciting design and potential power increase show hot hatches are alive and well still. The Ioniq 5 N is on the larger scale of the segment, but the Abarth 500e and the Alpine should still follow that small, lightweight ethos of the classic hot hatches we know and love. Alpine is hoping the A290 will be just as at home on the racetrack as it is on regular roads for everyday driving. That is exactly what a hot hatch should be like. The styling of the A290 certainly oozes the heart and soul of the traditional hot hatch.

What won’t appear on the production A290

One or two features certainly won't be carried over from the concept Alpine to the production one. The central driving position of the car is one of those features, as is the arrow-shaped dashboard and the various elements of carbon fiber. These are unlikely to feature on the version we can buy from 2024 onwards, though the central driving position is very cool. What we do know is that 85 percent of the exterior design should transfer to the production version. This is great news, given how good the concept looks.

That arrow-shaped dashboard is, in fact, derived from the front nose of a Formula 1 car, while the minimalist interior is complete with an angular steering wheel. This was inspired by the LMP2 A470 and the A523 2023 F1 car. Again, this wheel is unlikely to feature in the production version. The interior itself will feature many more mod cons and pieces of equipment.

The Alpine A290 is a hugely exciting hot hatch

Alpine is killing it with exciting cars at the minute, following the reveal of its A110 Pikes Peak racer. This A290 builds on that and adds even more excitement to the Renault 5 it is based on. More exciting, though, is that it shows hot hatches are still going to be relevant in the electric era. And thankfully, they are not going to get much bigger either, the Ioniq 5 N being the obvious exception to that rule. The A290 should give the Abarth 500e a good run for its money when it was launched and compliment the regular Renault 5 nicely.