Alpine and Lotus have announced the end of their collaboration on the development of a new electric sports car, which was expected to be the successor to the Alpine A110. The two firms signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2021 to conduct a “comprehensive feasibility study” for the car. Under the MoU, the A110 was planned to share a chassis and technologies with the Lotus Type 135, including having its battery cells stacked vertically behind the driver. However, the two companies have now decided not to progress with the joint development of a sports car for Alpine.
In a statement issued by Alpine, it was revealed that the decision was mutual and reached amicably. The next-generation A110 is slated to be the third of three models to arrive from Alpine’s ‘dream garage’ of EVs, following next year’s Renault 5-based A290 hot hatch and the GT X-Over crossover. It’s yet to be seen whether the end of the MoU for the new sports car will affect Alpine’s deliberations over using a Lotus platform for a pair of SUVs due in 2027 and 2028.
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi previously stated that Lotus and Alpine share the same preoccupation of trying to make light, agile sports cars while adding weight and electrifying. He also suggested that a final decision on the future of the partnership was to be undertaken by the end of 2022, but neither firm had made an official statement before now. Rossi confirmed that the duo of SUVs will be “in the segment of Porsche Macan and Porsche Cayenne, more or less.” Alpine will have to look beyond the Renault Group for a platform, Rossi said, adding that Lotus owner Geely was the “most natural” partner for the project.
Lotus has said that it’s willing to work with partners that wish to reuse the platform from the new Lotus Eletre electric SUV, which is also set to spawn a Macan-sized model codenamed Type 134. The MoU between Alpine and Lotus was signed in January 2021, and the two firms have been collaborating on a future EV sports car vision for more than two years. During this time, a strong relationship between the two companies has developed. However, as with any collaboration following an MoU, the outcome was not guaranteed.
The A110 was planned to share a chassis and technologies with the Lotus Type 135, which is itself a spiritual successor to the Lotus Elise. The decision to stack the battery cells vertically behind the driver would allow the seats to be placed lower than if the car used a conventional skateboard-style EV platform and would bring the weight to the centre of the chassis, like in a mid-engined sports car.
In conclusion, Alpine and Lotus have ended their collaboration on the development of a new electric sports car, which was expected to be the successor to the Alpine A110. The decision was mutual and reached amicably, and both firms will go it alone on their flagship EVs. It remains to be seen whether Alpine’s deliberations over using a Lotus platform for a pair of SUVs due in 2027 and 2028 will be affected by the end of the MoU for the new sports car. Lotus has said that it’s willing to work with partners that wish to reuse the platform from the new Lotus Eletre electric SUV.