ECO MOTORS NEWS had the opportunity to walk the aisles of the Lyon 2025 Motor Show, and among the most eagerly-awaited exhibitors was Alpine, with the first public showing of the Alpine A390 electric SUV.
Alpine’s presence at the Lyon Motor Show was a fitting way for the manufacturer to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Several versions of the A110 saloon car were on show, including a special anniversary version, but above all – and this is what interests us most at ECO MOTORS NEWS – the Dieppe-based manufacturer highlighted its ‘Dream Garage’, in other words its dream line-up of 100% electric cars. The A290 city car, based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, was on show, as was the season’s big news, the much-anticipated A390 SUV coupé.
A390, a real Alpine?
When the A390 was unveiled at Dieppe at the end of May 2025, journalists were only allowed to see photos of the aircraft, and while its simple, effective design was universally acclaimed, it did not arouse the crowds. Well, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise! Indeed, the ‘wow’ factor was certainly there when we saw the beast in the flesh, or rather in metal and watts. At 4.6 metres long and 1.90 metres wide, the fastback silhouette of this relatively massive SUV, with its plunging roof, is a real success. Its design is much more racy and aggressive under the lights of the showroom, with lines that seem to melt into the bodywork. It’s rather elegant, and while the front end is a far cry from the Alpine style, it does have one thing in common: sportiness.
This sportiness can also be found ‘under the bonnet’. The Alpine A390 is equipped with three Cléon electric motors made in Normandy, all-wheel drive and a system called Active Torque Vectoring, which the manufacturer promises will give the SUV an « agility worthy of the brand’s reputation« . It delivers the equivalent of 400bhp in GT form and 470bhp in GTS form, enough to easily (and happily) push its two tonnes or so without worrying about either power or driving pleasure, with a 0-100kph time of less than four seconds. But to find out for sure, you’ll have to take it for a test drive!
555 km range and a mission
While Alpine’s DNA is all about sportiness, the A390 is nonetheless an SUV, and SUVs mean high sales expectations. Its mission, therefore, is not only to win over Alpine aficionados, but also to attract new customers. To do that, it offers a decent level of comfort, even if a plunging roof makes it difficult, but the typical architecture of an electric car means that not too much space is lost in exchange. Above all, the brand is promising a range of up to 555 kilometres, which puts it a hair below the Porsche Macan 4S. As for recharging, we’re promised 20 minutes to go from 15 to 80%, again within the market average.
These are strong arguments, not to mention the fact that the car is made in France, in Dieppe. The price is not yet official, but we have been told that the GT version could be offered for around €65,000, and the GTS version for around €75,000. One thing is certain: after 70 years of a rich history, Alpine has no intention of giving up. On the contrary, the emblematic Norman manufacturer seems to be taking the electric route with a masterful SUV which, while it may have raised a few eyebrows at the time of its presentation, could well end up putting everyone on the same wavelength.
