Renowned Chinese auto manufacturer Geely, already a key player in the European automotive landscape with ownership stakes in Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus, is now reportedly in the early stages of discussions regarding a potential investment in Alpine, a subsidiary of Renault. Alpine, known for its sports cars and owned by Renault, is gearing up for a significant shift, transitioning to an all-electric lineup and expanding its offerings to include hot hatches, crossovers, and SUVs.
Alpine, under Renault's ownership, has set ambitious goals for the next six years, aiming to achieve €8 billion ($8.7 billion) in revenue by the end of the decade. The strategic plan involves a comprehensive electric vehicle lineup, including a successor to the A110 sports car. To fund these bold expansion plans, Renault is exploring various investment options, and Geely has emerged as a potential contender.
While the formal search for new investors is expected to begin at the end of 2024 or early 2025, Geely's existing collaboration with Renault on hybrid powertrains positions the Chinese firm as a noteworthy candidate. Philippe Krief, CEO of Alpine, acknowledged Geely's involvement in discussions, stating, “Geely is part of the group, and we are looking at things with them.” However, Krief emphasized that the immediate priority for 2024 is to finalize Alpine's product and industrial plan.
Notably, Geely's potential investment in Alpine could revive connections between the French sports car company and Lotus. Previously, Alpine and Lotus were collaborating on an electric sports car project, but Alpine withdrew to pursue an independent path, focusing on developing its own Alpine Performance Platform (APP) architecture.
Alpine's ambitious roadmap includes the production of seven new electric cars by 2030. The lineup commences with the Renault 5-based A290 hot hatch in 2024, followed by a C-segment crossover GT in 2025 and an all-new A110 in 2026. The extensive plan also features an A110 Spider, an A310 four-seat coupe, and D- and E-segment cars. Geely's potential involvement adds an intriguing layer to Alpine's electric future and its quest for financial success in the rapidly evolving automotive landscape.
