Lancia Introduces The Pu+Ra HPE Concept Car

Lancia, the Italian brand owned by Stellantis, has unveiled the Pu+Ra HPE Concept, which pays homage to the brand’s iconic past while showcasing the brand’s future in terms of European electric vehicles (EVs). Pu+Ra is an acronym for pure and radical, while HPE stands for high-performance electric. This same acronym was used for the Lancia Beta in the 1970s to denote the high-performance estate variant.

“The new era of Lancia starts today with a new Logo and a clear design vision,” explained Luca Napolitano, Lancia CEO. “In anticipation of the new Ypsilon, the first vehicle of the new Lancia, we are introducing Lancia Pu+Ra Zero, a sculpture, a three-dimensional manifesto which inspires the vehicles that will be launched between 2024 and 2028.”

The rear horizontal “blinds” on the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE Concept have been reinterpreted from the sporty Stratos. The concept’s rear resembles the old two-door rally car, with hollow round tail lights and the new Lancia lettering stuck between them. The progressive green exterior of the concept also pays homage to the historic Lancia Flaminia Azzuro Vincennes.

The circular roof is one of the concept’s most striking features, which the Italian brand claims is inspired by architectural elements and is used throughout the vehicle, including the interior. The new concept has many round-shaped features, such as round carpets made of natural wool on the floor, a round coffee table on the center console, and a circle in the dashboard.

Classic Italian household armchairs heavily influence the front seat; the volumes of the new vehicles are created by successive layering, adding and intersecting elementary and iconic shapes, such as the circle, rectangle, and triangle, and combining them with eclectic details. The result is an overall language that is not typically automotive.

The Italian automaker didn’t go into much detail about the concept’s all-electric powertrain. However, according to the brand’s manifesto, for the next ten years, it could offer over 424 miles (700 kilometers) of range on a single charge.

Lancia’s Sound Air Light Augmentation (SALA) system allows the driver and front passenger to customize the car’s interior environment by simply pressing a button or speaking.

The Pu+Ra HPE Concept signals the reincarnation of the once-famous rally-bred nameplate. Lancia plans to debut a premium sedan and a hatchback bearing the Delta name later in the decade are rumored to be based on the new STLA Medium platform.

Lancia Pu+Ra HPE Concept Image Gallery:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.