Alpine future in question, could go all-electric – report
The Alpine brand is set to go electric, as parent company Renault plans for the future.
Renault-owned sports car brand Alpine could go all-electric in the future, according to international reports.
According to UK publication Autocar, Renault is considering the move as part of a restructure that aims to save the brand £1.7 million (AU$3.1 billion).
“It’s inevitable that we’ll electrify Alpine,” Renault’s design chief Laurens van den Acker told Autocar. That statement alone does not mean Alpine's future will be electric only, but the company's boss Jean-Dominique Senard has made clear that Alpine's future is under scrutiny.
“We do have to look very, very seriously at the future of [Alpine] to see how it can bring added value to the group," Senard said last week.
Currently, Alpine produces one model – the A110 coupe, pictured below.
Autocar’s report follows a difficult period for Renault that has seen sales plummet during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Renault’s alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi has also seen troubling times, leading to a major reshuffle of the alliance last week.
In late May, France’s finance minister Bruno Le Maire said Renault could disappear without a €5 billion ($8.2 billion) bailout.
In the same interview, Mr Le Maire stressed the importance of Renault focusing on developing its electric car fleet, to “adapt” and “be competitive”.
MORE: Alpine news, reviews, comparisons and videos
MORE: Renault news, reviews, comparisons and videos
MORE: Everything electric