The Alpine Alpenglow is a hydrogen-powered hypercar developed by Alpine, Renault's performance subsidiary, featuring an 867 hp hydrogen V8 engine built in collaboration with Gibson Technology and designed as a rolling laboratory for sustainable motorsport.
What is the Alpine Alpenglow?
Alpine introduced the Alpenglow concept at the Paris Motor Show in late 2022 as a statement of where the brand wants to take its performance and design language. The car is not a consumer product: it is a technology demonstrator and a visual manifesto. Its most dramatic element is a hydrogen-powered internal combustion V8, developed with Gibson Technology, which produces 867 hp at the rear wheels. The Alpenglow is designed to show that a sustainable powertrain can sit inside a car with genuine visual drama and race-car performance.
The Alpenglow Hy4 at the 6 Hours of Spa
An updated fully functional version, named the Alpenglow Hy4, was unveiled in May 2024 at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. This was the first time the Alpenglow ran on hydrogen in a motorsport context, completing demonstration laps at the Belgian circuit and proving that a hydrogen ICE can function under real racing conditions. Alpine describes the Hy4 as a "rolling lab designed as a racing car", underlining its development purpose rather than its showroom ambitions.
Design and its influence on future Alpine models
The Alpenglow's silhouette is bold even by concept car standards: dramatic aerodynamic surfaces, a low cabin and a visual language that reads as a genuine leap forward from the current Alpine A110. Alpine has confirmed that the design will influence future production models, including the next iteration of the A110 and potential future sports cars. The car champions a visual appeal intended to demonstrate that sustainability and performance aesthetics are compatible, not competing priorities.
Why the Alpine Alpenglow matters for hydrogen in motorsport
The Alpenglow is part of a broader shift in motorsport toward alternatives to conventional combustion. By developing a hydrogen V8 rather than a hydrogen fuel cell electric system, Alpine is exploring a technology path that preserves the acoustic and engagement characteristics of an internal combustion engine while eliminating carbon emissions when renewable hydrogen is used. As Alpine continues to refine this technology across both racing and road contexts, it sets a reference point for what hydrogen performance vehicles could become. Photo: ALPINE
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