After the first photos published a few days ago, Lancia officially presents all the details of its new Ypsilon. This new electric car is based on the Peugeot e-208, but with Italian chic… and some unexpected equipment. Let’s find out.
This time, it’s good: Lancia is back! Even though the brand is little known to the general public, it remains legendary to enthusiasts, with 118 years of existence and a host of models that mark their era.
A brand more or less abandoned for years, only one model sold only in Italy for 12 years. The Stellentis Group (Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Jeep, etc.), which owns the brand, has however decided to give it another chance. This revival begins today with the introduction of its new Ypsilon, which is apparently 100% electric.
A very original style
Well, it’s not surprising, since the first images were revealed a few days ago. This presentation today, however, allows us to see things more clearly and get all the technical details.
First of all, the style remains very distinctive, especially this front face where the “chalis” sits, this black lacquer surface where the Y-shaped light signature is integrated. The “real” projectors are hidden below, along with three small bright dots in a Y.
This bright Y is also seen at the rear, round and inside the prominent optics. A black band joins them; A strong reference to the Stratos, an absolutely legendary sports car of the 1970s. Finally, note the name “Ypsilon” written in handwritten letters.
Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
In terms of dimensions, the Ypsilon is 4.08 meters long, 1.76 meters wide and 1.44 meters high, i.e. typical dimensions for the city car range.
Cozy and technical interior
The interior of this new Lancia has only one goal: to let you experience the art of Italian living. For this, the brand has approached renowned Italian furniture manufacturer Cassina for this launch edition. The press release is impressive, confirming that this insider tells us ” A real Italian home“
Blue is omnipresent: on the seats, covered in recycled velvet, but also on the door panels… and on the dashboard, where a funny element sits. This is the “Tavolino”, which Lancia does not hesitate to introduce as “. The first coffee table in the car »- We want to believe them.
This tavolino includes a storage space, which for this special edition is covered in blue leather, as well as a tray where there is an induction charging station. It will be interesting to know how this looks on the “mass produced” versions.
To continue on the tech side, this new Ypsilon has two 10.25-inch screens, one behind the steering wheel and one in the center of the dashboard. The latter is a specific overlay, called SALA (for ” sound air Light Grow »), and allows you to adjust the audio, ventilation and lighting ambience. Note compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
A small feature: a button on the dashboard cap, which allows you to initiate voice commands. For the rest of the cabin, the seats are electric, heated and massaging, while the cabin filter clearly filters out 99% of harmful particles present outside.
Platform taken from Peugeot E-208
As most observers would have noticed from the photos: the Lancia Ypsilon is based on the Peugeot E-208, which is also shared with the Opel Corsa Electric. So we find, surprisingly, similar technical characteristics.
So the little Lancia uses a 115 kW/156 hp engine, powered by a battery with a net capacity of 51 kWh, which allows it to advertise an autonomy of up to 403 km according to the WLTP standard. Allow for a consumption of 14.3 kWh/100 km, taking into account recharging losses. Recharging, here too, comes with a 100 kW charger as standard, allowing fast charging from 20 to 80% in 24 minutes.
There are no surprises about the driving aids either, as we get the “Adaptive Cruise Control / Lane Keeping” duo, which is enough to access Level 2 autonomous driving.
A bit chic sold for a high price
One question remains: the price. We can legitimately question the prices of this small premium city car, especially since the Peugeot e-208 is already not cheap, costing between 34,100 and 39,300 euros (excluding the ecological bonus) in France.
This Cassina Limited Edition gives us a good first glimpse: count on 39,999 euros for this fully equipped edition in Italy – the only market that will benefit from this version. We’ll have to wait a little longer to find out the other versions and the French prices, but this gives us the first hint.
Let’s end with one last doubt: what is the merit of Lancia’s rebirth? The Stellentis Group already has a premium brand that claims to offer “different luxury”: DS, which offers its DS 3 E-Tense (with almost the same characteristics) from 41,700 euros. Two brands on the same footing: What if Stellantis shoots itself in the foot?
