Lotus and Alpine have halted work on their joint electric sports car project, Automotive News Europe has reported.
The companies had signed a memorandum of understanding in 2021 to build a new, lightweight electric sports car together. The new vehicle would feature technology from both firms, and serve as the replacement to the internal-combustion (and fantastic) Alpine A110.
“Today’s announcement is the first step in what is set to be a hugely rewarding collaboration between our iconic brands,” former Lotus CEO Phil Popham said in a statement at the time. “We are proud to be working with Groupe Renault in this collaboration—sharing Lotus’ technical expertise and abilities, and leveraging our long track record of successful collaborations. Our companies have much in common—from a pioneering pedigree in light-weighting, to championship-winning sports cars which perform as impressively on the road as they do in the motorsports arena. It is a natural fit in many ways and the co-development of an EV sports car is hugely exciting for our companies, our fans and customers around the world.”
But the project is no more. Lotus confirmed to Automotive News Europe that the two companies had decided not to progress in the project, a decision the British company claimed was mutual. It doesn’t mean, however, that the collaboration between the two brands is totally dead.
“We have decided not to progress with the joint development of a sports car for Alpine,” Lotus told Road & Track in an email. “This is a mutual decision reached amicably and we will continue to discuss other future opportunities.”
A spokesman for Lotus added that “Lotus’s commitment to an EV sports car remains as strong as ever.”
Reviews Editor
Arguably the most fickle member of the Road & Track staff, Reviews Editor Mack Hogan is likely the only person to ever cross shop an ND Miata with an Isuzu Vehicross. He founded the automotive reviews section of CNBC during his sophomore year of college and has been writing about cars ever since.
