Alpine, the French sports car maker that was resurrected by Renault a few years ago and immediately made everyone sit up and pay attention with the sublime A110, has now decided it wants to sell more than seventeen cars a year. And since we live in 2025, that means making – sigh – an electric crossover. The A390 is Alpine's attempt to create a family-friendly version of the A110, which is a bit like trying to make a family-friendly version of a Tabasco enema. Some things just don't lend themselves to being practical.But here's the interesting bit: unlike most electric cars which are about as exciting as watching paint dry in a windowless room, Alpine has actually tried to make this one fun. They've given it three electric motors – one at the front and two at the back – which allows for proper torque vectoring, overspeeding the outside rear wheel to help the car turn in. It's the sort of technological wizardry that was impossible with combustion engines and could potentially make a two-tonne electric barge handle like something much lighter. Underneath, it shares some DNA with the Renault Scenic E-Tech, but Alpine has shortened the wheelbase and fitted a completely different battery. Power output hasn't been confirmed yet, but I'd guess somewhere around 500bhp – enough to be properly quick, but not so much that your children's Happy Meals end up redecorating the headliner. Alpine has made some refreshingly sensible decisions too. They've fitted the same size tires front and rear, which means you won't need to remortgage your house when it's time to replace them. There's no four-wheel steering or adaptive suspension either – just a straightforward, well-sorted chassis that's meant to give natural feedback. I was only allowed a brief drive on Michelin's wet handling circuit, but it was enough to get a taste of what Alpine is aiming for. There are three main driving modes – Normal, Sport, and Track – each of which gradually increases the car's willingness to slide about like a drunk penguin on an ice rink. In Normal mode, it behaves like a sensible family car, with the stability control quickly shutting down any funny business. Sport mode allows a bit more slip but still won't let you make a complete fool of yourself. Track mode is where things get interesting, with the car feeling genuinely rear-driven and allowing some proper rotation if you pitch it in on the brakes before getting hard on the power. The steering offers decent feedback, although the brake pedal feels a bit soft at the top of its travel. And while Alpine has included a synthetic sound system, they've thankfully avoided going down the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N route of simulated gearchanges, which is a bit like putting a cassette player in a smartphone – amusingly retro, but missing the point. Will the A390 be as wonderful as the A110? Not a chance. But among the growing horde of electric crossovers, it at least seems to have some personality and genuine driver appeal. If you absolutely must have an electric family car but don't want your soul to die completely, this might be the least objectionable option when it launches in 2026.
