ev alpine

[a110au]

nobody sharing info on the EV alpine?

https://media.alpinecars.com/a110-e-ternite-un-pro...

I had a brief look. They are going for an unusual battery config like a barbell with batteries in front and at rear, oriented vertically. The aim is apparently 1375kg and 60kwh

they also will use a 2 gear dct which is nice. only taycan has a geared EV.

not sure how this will pan out without a bespoke ev platform. wltp range is up there but wltp always overstates the range. Vs our a110s I think the range for “getting to the hills” will be disappointing. I don’t think it’s 800v as the battery is renault parts bin.

The motor power is down as well, 160kw, but instant torque means similar 0-60mph. Brave effort. I guess everything depends on how it feels in hand/seat and whether silence means driver detachment.

[Terminator X]

Zero soul vs sports car? Can't / won't work surely.

TX.

[bcr5784]

While I can't see many (any?) choosing this while the IC version is available and affordable - the weight is a creditable achievement. Does beg the question of what the collaboration with Lotus on EVs will bring to the table.

[Hoofty]

This looks to be absolutely a concept/proof of, for what it's worth. That sort of mass increase and mechanical layout revision would need a crashworthiness programme to go on sale, which at this stage of the product life would be financial madness (not least while ploughing the money into the new joint venture). The battery package looks very much what you'd do if shoehorning cells into a platform designed for ICE; 'native EV' platforms will invariably have the batteries underfloor (with the good and the bad that brings).

The good to take from this is very good - that they seem serious about an EV successor focussing on maintaining the weight and driving experience ethos of the current car (rather than, say, chasing Tesla-bating numbers or silly range), and as I've seen others note, if they could bring it in under the kerb weight of an ICE Cayman, that would be quite the achievement.

Having two of the same car is often silly, but I really want to want an EV110 (to go with the dino-juice one). Bonne chance, Dieppe.

[bcr5784]

The battery package looks very much what you'd do if shoehorning cells into a platform designed for ICE; 'native EV' platforms will invariably have the batteries underfloor (with the good and the bad that brings).


[/quote]

Wouldn't disagree - but the initial pics show Lotus putting most of the batteries in "engine" space. In a sports car it's going to be almost impossible to put the batteries under the floor without making the car rather high. Batteries in the middle does have the advantage of lower polar moment of inertia - so regaining some of the agility lost due to the extra weight.

[Martyn P]

Forget about the motor - I want the open sunroof!

[Hoofty]

bcr5784 said:

Wouldn't disagree - but the initial pics show Lotus putting most of the batteries in "engine" space. In a sports car it's going to be almost impossible to put the batteries under the floor without making the car rather high. Batteries in the middle does have the advantage of lower polar moment of inertia - so regaining some of the agility lost due to the extra weight.

Yeah, to go fully underfloor does require you to raise the occupant position, which you can only partly offset by reclining the occupant posture before it all feels a bit too 'racing car' for road use. It's a packaging ideal based around efficiency of cell use really, and one which 'normal' cars can get away with - less so sports cars, as you say.

You're also right about inertia, but ref my 'good and bad that brings' comment, low inertia isn't always the great attribute it's implied to be. It's quite easy to have 'too little' inertia, making a car feel 'nervous' and requiring more driver workload than is ideal. Low inertia combined with high mass makes an issue like that worse, in that you have a body which is easily excited, then requires a lot of energy to control.

1400kg isn't silly though, hopefully they can deliver it without encountering much/any of the above.

[Venisonpie]

Martyn P said:

Forget about the motor - I want the open sunroof!

It would instantly turn the car to perfect.

[Miserablegit]

The design of the body shell means an open roof, retaining the outer alloy frame would be a feasible DIY option. Who is brave enough??



Slightly more difficult is the Targa

[Meonstoke]

Venisonpie said:

Martyn P said:

Forget about the motor - I want the open sunroof!

It would instantly turn the car to perfect.

Indeed, almost perfect! In an earlier thread a while back I raised the possibility of creating a 944 Targa version i.e. a large removable sun lid - it's certainly feasible, and it works a treat. In my old 944 it was also nice just to tilt the sun-lid up on sunny days. I find it interesting that Alpine have deliberately shown an open roof in their EV concept of the current car....

I say 'almost perfect' as it would be great if someone was able to create perspex side window deflectors which could be clipped on - I miss not being able to roll the windows down due to the high wind vibrations created on any speed above 40KM...

M.