In a surprising turn, Lotus and Renault’s Alpine have mutually agreed to cease their collaboration on an electric sports car project. The proposed replacement for the Alpine A110 sports coupe, initially announced in 2021, will no longer be co-developed by the two companies, as confirmed by Lotus in an official statement on Monday.
Renault had initially partnered with Lotus to create an electric platform for the successor to the A110, which was expected to debut by 2027. However, recent reports suggest Renault may opt to use its own technology for future Alpine models instead of working in partnership with Lotus.
While the joint development for the sports car has been halted, Lotus hinted at the possibility of future collaborations with Alpine. “We have built a strong relationship between the two companies and will continue to discuss other opportunities,” Lotus shared in its statement. It’s noteworthy that Lotus, majority-owned by China’s Geely, is already involved in other projects with Renault.
Alpine, in the meantime, is still in need of premium electric platforms to build larger SUV models aimed at global markets, including the U.S. The brand is aspiring to introduce two models in the U.S., a midsize all-electric SUV and a larger model starting in 2027 or 2028.
Despite the cessation of the joint project, Lotus remains “fully committed” to its electric sports car, codenamed Type 135. As for Alpine, all future models will be electric, with the first being the Renault 5 Alpine, set to be launched in the second half of 2024. It will be followed by a sporty compact SUV, tentatively named the GT, in 2025.
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