Innovation in the automotive industry is something our team always follows closely at Novo. As a brand associated with premium electric car insurance, we are especially interested in new technologies and alternative powered cars, and we confess, a supercar is always going to catch our eye! So, when we learnt about the hydrogen-powered supercar concept designed by students at the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED) Design School in Turin in collaboration with Alpine, we felt compelled to share this with our community of EV insurance clients. We’re talking about the ‘Alpine A4810 Project by IED’…

The A4810 is a futuristic, hydrogen-powered, two-seater supercar which “embraces next-generation technologies without losing sight of the traditional roots of the Alpine brand”.  This rather cool, very sporty creation is the masterpiece of 28 talented Masters students studying Transportation Design at the IED and provides a glimpse at what environmentally-friendly supercars of the future could look like. 

The name ‘A4810’ has been used for this student-led project to convey the brand’s legacy as ‘4810’ is the height of Mont Blanc which is the most emblematic peak in the Alps. Alpine viewed the project as ideal opportunity to broaden its horizons to new generations of designers and drivers, while raising awareness in the many talented students.

Alpine challenged the students to design a ‘super Berlinette’ for the year 2035. The two-seater supercar was designed to be a high-performing vehicle both in terms of performance and environmental impact. After the brief was given last autumn, students worked individually to come up with their own interpretation and present it to the brand. Alpine then selected a combination of the two main ideas.

Based on the two selected proposals, the young designers created the ‘A4810 Project by IED’: a light yet powerful and agile concept car that boasts pure driving pleasure. During the design phase, the students sought to combine vision and innovation, without losing sight of the traditional roots of the Alpine brand.

The innovative concept supercar ‘created for a sustainable future’ is an experimental combination of the shape of a Berlinette with a hydrogen powertrain. While the engine and fuel tanks are built like those on a typical hypercar, the subtraction process is proof of strong innovation. The design alternates between empty and full spaces, giving the vehicle a lightweight look and aerodynamic features inspired by Formula 1 models. Furthermore, the A4810 Project by IED was tasked with bringing the brand to the cusp of the sports car category.

The French spirit has been skilfully preserved: while avoiding the pitfalls of unnecessary formal elements, designers focussed on the overlapping layers and sculptural aspects of the car’s silhouette. The bi-tone colours, matte black, and carbon fibre highlights create a bold contrast with each part of the car, making them stand out according to their function: aerodynamic, mechanical, or merely formal.

Incorporating hydrogen power supply means that they developed a full-fledged concept that is almost ready to take to the roads for a much more sustainable, emission-free future.

This is certainly an inspiring project that clearly demonstrates young design talent in the global automotive industry, and one that has impressed the EV Insurance team at NOVO. So are hydrogen cars the future, or will electric cars prevail? Time will tell!

NOVO, a leading specialist in electric vehicle insurance, provides a high-calibre ‘concierge style’ solution for business and private owners of electric cars.  Contact us to find out how we can assist with your EV insurance requirements.