Alpine open to hydrogen combustion

Alpine is also “very actively” exploring the use of hydrogen as a means of safeguarding the future of the internal combustion engine.

It recently collaborated with the European Institute of Design in Turin to create the radical A4810 concept, an outlandish vision of what a hydrogen-powered hypercar could look like in 2035, and now it has emerged that this could be closer to reality than was first thought. Rossi told Autocar: “It’s only normal that we look at parallel paths – and I say parallel on purpose.

The idea is we want to find alternatives that aren’t necessarily incompatible with electrification, because electrification is, whether we like it or not, the future of automotive for at least 60- 70% of the automotive parc.” Rossi said that in terms of future-proofing low-volume, “high-output” sports cars, “sustainable fuels could be the solution”.

He revealed that Alpine aims to trial hydrogen-combustion technology in a race car and may even create a bespoke prototype “that could take the Nürburgring record or things like that”.

A4810 is said to be “light yet powerful and agile” Alpine is souping up Renault’s reborn 5 supermini. GT X-Over will share hardware with Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric.