21:56 22-12-2025

Alpine plots A590 D/E-segment EV flagship to build on A390

Alpine keeps expanding its electric lineup and is already looking beyond the next debuts. Following the A390 sports fastback and the forthcoming electric A110, the brand may add a larger model—a de facto flagship crossover in the D/E segment that British media are already discussing as a potential A590. The brief is pragmatic: reach more buyers and grow volumes without diluting the brand’s driver-focused DNA.

Design chief Anthony Villain has said the range needs a product for the D and E segments, which naturally reads as something positioned above the A390. And CEO Philippe Krief has indicated that the United States is on the company’s radar, even though there are no firm launch plans. He suggested that the A110 on its own might not be enough to satisfy dealers and partners in America; a more substantial product would help, yet Alpine is wary of repeating a typical misstep—arriving with a big vehicle that runs counter to the marque’s character. The subtext is clear: scale up carefully or risk losing what makes the badge desirable.

Tellingly, Alpine avoids calling the A390 a conventional SUV, preferring the term sports fastback and anchoring the pitch in behind-the-wheel emotion. The A390 is slated to deliver up to 464 hp from a tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup. If that philosophy—a larger body with a sports-car feel—carries over to a future flagship, the newcomer could credibly square up to the BMW iX, Lotus Eletre, and the Porsche Cayenne EV. On paper, that’s the most convincing path to growth without compromising identity.

The open question is the platform. The new A110 uses the APP architecture, while the A390 is based on a modified Renault AmpR Medium that, in related models, currently caps overall length at roughly 4.6 meters. For a true D/E-segment SUV—where rivals edge toward five meters and sometimes offer seven seats—Alpine will either have to stretch the toolkit significantly or find another solution. That technical decision may prove more pivotal than any badge or body style.