In a recent interview with Bimmer Today, ALPINA CEO Andreas Bovensiepen says ALPINA clients simply don’t want EVs. The CEO explained that a customer survey was done to gauge interest in an electric model. The survey found that their customers wouldn’t be interested:
Three quarters of a year ago we carried out a customer survey on the subject of hybrid and BEV. Our customers currently feel no demand for battery-electric models. This is also due to the high mileage: ALPINA customers want to drive fast and accelerate strongly, especially in Germany - then, of course, ranges are still an issue. Our customers usually use their BMW ALPINA as their first vehicle, as a “daily dream car”. If you were to transfer an eight-cylinder driving behavior to a BEV, the ranges would probably be a maximum of 200 kilometers. Especially when I want to go fast, it just doesn’t work. That’s why we’re deliberately holding back. The market is not yet ready for our customers.
Battery tech is improving though, and at the prices that ALPINA commands, the company could conceivably push a six-figure car with a 300+ mile range if it thought customers would buy them. Of course, since their cars are all based on BMW’s, whatever direction BMW goes, ALPINA has to follow.
Bovensiepen did admit the company is small and resource-limited and didn’t rule out a future EV due to ongoing struggles to meet EU emissions targets. He also said the company is keeping a close eye on demand for the new BMW i models saying “Then we may have to offer a hybrid or a battery-electric vehicle in the medium term. But we’re well-positioned there at the moment. Sure: We are looking closely at the demand for the BMW i4 and iX3. With the BMW iX we are not sure.”