Lancia teases future EV design with Pu+Ra HPE concept 

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Is Lancia staging a comeback? If the cut of this new concept is any indication, there seems to be some momentum in the old Italian brand. It’s called the Pu+Ra HPE – “Pu” for Pure, “Ra” for Radical, and “HPE” for High Performance Electric – and its purpose is to signify the way forward for Lancia’s design over the next generation of vehicles. 

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“High Performance” in the modern context means a projected range of 700 km; a charge time of 10 minutes from 10 per cent to 80 per cent; and energy consumption figures of less than 10 kWh per 100 km. 

As is often the case, the brand has looked back to look forward, pulling inspiration from the 1970 Beta HPE shooting brake, back when “HPE” stood for High Performance Estate. There’s also plenty of the iconic Stratos in the overall appearance, including in the round tail lights. Up front, the Y-shaped light grille also displays the charge of the battery. 

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The futuristic interior, meanwhile, is one of those that tries to feel like a living space complete with wools, woods, and a marble-ish composite, rather than the inside of a car. Lancia even joined up with Italian furniture house Cassina to make some special yellow bucket seats to pair with the coffee-table centrepiece. 

The first production vehicle to bear some of these style points – though probably not the coffee table – and the brand’s new S.A.L.A. virtual system will be the all-electric Lancia Ypsilon hatchback, to be sold exclusively in Italy.