Alpine has revealed its first concept car, showing new signature styling for its upcoming zero-emissions era.
Dubbed the Alpenglow, this concept is powered by a hydrogen-fuelled internal-combustion engine, fed by two cylindrical hydrogen tanks of unknown size.
This isn’t the first concept car Alpine has shown off with a hydrogen-fuelled combustion engine, as it revealed its A4810 concept in March in collaboration with Italian-based design school Istituto Europeo di Design (IED).
Alpine isn’t alone in revealing hydrogen-fuelled concepts, with GAC showing off a hydrogen-powered people mover concept, and Toyota and Lexus debuting a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine in a Toyota GR Yaris concept, as well as a Yamaha-developed hydrogen-fuelled 5.0-litre V8.
The Alpine Alpenglow concept is a racing-inspired single-seater that features wide fenders surrounding a small, domed driver’s compartment.
Up front there’s a full-width light bar that’s bookended by large triangular sections with a shattered glass lighting effect. This is replicated at the back with two vertical lighting elements.
There’s also an illuminated red strip that runs up the front bumper and along the central spine of the car.
There are certain elements of the bodywork that are transparent, including the cockpit, wheels, and rear spoiler, and provide a glimpse of the inner workings.
On the inside there’s a geometric steering wheel that’s inspired by LMP1 racing cars. It features transparent and backlit paddle shifters, as well as buttons that control regenerative braking and track control.
There’s even an ‘Overtake’ button on the steering wheel that gives the car a power boost.
The Alpenglow concept measures in at over five metres long, over two metres wide, and less than one metre tall, which is on par with other track-only prototype racers.
Despite its size, Alpine claims the concept is lightweight and “remarkably buoyant” thanks in part to the use of recycled carbon.
The Alpine Alpenglow concept isn’t expected to go into production and instead it will be the “source of the design and technology for the future Alpine racetrack and production models”.
Over the next few years Alpine is planning to launch three electric vehicles (EVs), including a hotter versions of upcoming Renault vehicles.
The brand plans to reveal an electric replacement for the current A110 mid-decade which will be built in partnership with British sports car specialist Lotus, using the brand’s new E-Sport electric platform.
Alpine is also planning to launch a high-performance electric crossover called the GT X-Over, and a hotter version of the upcoming Renault 5 EV. All three of these EVs will be launched by 2026.
It’s unclear if Alpine will return to the Australian market, following the axing of the A110 in 2021, with its upcoming EVs at this stage.
A spokesperson from Ateco, Renault’s Australian distributor, said in October 2021 that when the new models are revealed in full, the product planning team will then assess if they will be brought to the Australian market.
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