Alpine’s upcoming A290 electric hot-hatch has been pushed to its limits in the cold temperatures of Sweden during recent tests.
Showcased wearing light camouflage, the new A290 – which will be fully unveiled in June – is undergoing the final stages of testing to allow engineers to fine-tune the driving characteristics of the new electric hatchback.
Alpine says that as well as motor components, it has also been testing the A290’s on-board equipment to ensure that it can cope with very cold temperatures. These include the car’s heating, its defogging and demisting systems and its Electronic Stablity Control system.
Philippe Krief, Alpine CEO, said: “Our A290, the future compact B-segment electric sports car is currently being tested in the extreme and demanding conditions of Sweden’s Lapland. The target of this important stage is to confirm the direction we have taken with handling and agility, which is part of our DNA on low grip conditions.
“To fine-tune its development so that it can be effective in all circumstances and all-weather conditions, the winter development stage of the A290 is crucial as it is a completely new car. Our engineering team has scrutinised all the criteria, and the results bode extremely well for its launch in the coming months.”
The A290 has been photographed wearing Alpine’s ‘A-Arrow’ logo on its roof alongside the French firm’s standout blue exterior shade. Based on the upcoming Renault 5 electric vehicle, the A290 will be significantly upgraded over the car it shares a platform with. This means more powerful brakes and retuned steering. While the A290 Beta, which previewed the production version in concept form, featured a three-seater cockpit, it’s likely that the version which hits the public road will have a more conventional interior setup when it arrives in June.