Lancia has announced it plans to reveal a new concept at this year’s Milan Design Week, which set to run between April 18 and 23.
This follows after the 116-year old company revealed its wild Pu+Ra Zero “three-dimensional manifesto” concept in November last year which previews the design of its upcoming cars.
As previously reported, Lancia plans to launch three new electric vehicles (EVs) starting from 2024, before going all-electric by 2028, as part of its 10-year strategic plan.
The first of these cars is confirmed to be a new version of the Ypsilon city car, which will launch in 2024, with round tail lights inspired by the Stratos and a sustainable interior with at least 50 per cent of the touch points being “ecological”.
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Pu+Ra Zero concept
It’s expected this new Lancia Ypsilon will be based on Stellantis’ STLA Small EV platform, which will succeed the eCMP platform that currently underpins models like the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008, among others.
The second EV is an unnamed flagship, which has previously been reported to launch in 2026 and be “on the end of the crossover segment”, according to Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano in April last year. It’s rumoured to wear the Aurelia nameplate.
The third EV is confirmed to be a new Delta, which has been previously reported to launch in 2028 and will be “muscular, geometric and tough”. It’s unclear if a sporty HF variant will be part of the range.
All three of these new Lancia EVs will share the brand’s new logo that marks the brand’s shift to all-electric models.
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Current Ypsilon
Lancia is now one of Stellantis’ ‘Premium’ tier brands alongside Alfa Romeo and DS, and will sell its vehicles in Europe using an agency sales model from 2024.
This means Lancia is expanding beyond Italy, which is currently the only market it sells cars in.
It withdrew from the rest of Europe in 2017 after an influx of new products – many of which were rebadged Chryslers in a failed attempt to “twin” the two brands – struggled in the marketplace.
It plans to open 100 dealerships in 60 European cities, but plans to sell 50 per cent of its cars online.
Napolitano said in late 2021 Lancia’s 10-year plan at present doesn’t involve expanding beyond Europe or returning to motorsport as Lancia attempts to restore its credibility.
“However, in the coming year, if things go well, why not trying to bring (Lancia models with) right-hand drive also in Japan, South Africa or Australia?” he told Reuters in December 2021.
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Beta
Lancia was last seen in Australia in the mid-1980s with the Beta family.
There were mooted plans to bring the first-generation Delta here, along with larger fare like Thema, but these never eventuated. That’s despite said models being made available across the pond in New Zealand.
Lancia is far from the only Stellantis brand that’s currently in the process of going all-electric. DS is set become an EV-only brand from 2024, Abarth by 2024, Alfa Romeo from 2027, Fiat by 2030, Maserati by 2030, and outside of China Opel/Vauxhall will only sell EVs by 2028.
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