Reborn Lancia brand debuts a 435 mile range EV concept inspired by… Italian furniture?
We may still be a ways away from seeing the production intent design of the Ypsilion EV, which has been promised as the kickoff to legacy brand Lancia’s renaissance – but the Italian automaker has given us the design language that represents its 100% electric vision for the next decade in the form of a new concept called the Pu+Ra HPE. As the first vehicle inspired by the world of furniture, Lancia hopes its future customers will feel right at home inside its uniquely designed EVs.
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Lancia lives on to serve a new age of EV innovation
Lancia was originally founded in Turin, Italy, over 116 years ago as Lancia & C. Fabbrica Automobili and spent its first 60 years building innovative combustion vehicles like the first full-production V6 engine.
Fiat purchased Lancia in 1969, but the marque continued producing vehicles well into the ’80s, where it found a successful niche in rally car racing. When Fiat Auto became Fiat Group in 2007, Lancia again pivoted along with it before rebranding in 2011 to design new vehicles built by Chrysler. Under FCA in 2015, Lancia remained alive but sold just one model – the Ypsilon. That vehicle remains today but is only sold in Italy.
There was worry that the Lancia name would be wiped altogether when FCA morphed into Stellantis in 2021. Under the new conglomerate’s “Dare Forward 2030” electrification strategy, however, Stellantis shared it would breathe new life (and funding) into Lancia as an EV-centric marque.
Rather than deliver a concept or even a digital rendering to the public first, Lancia’s EV journey began with an automotive sculpture called the Pu+Ra Zero. Pu+Ra is short for “pure” and “radical,” which are two key design elements Lancia is keeping in mind as it looks to deliver a new breed of EVs with Italian luxury in its DNA.
Lancia has since left the art studio and moved into the design lab, publicly unveiling its next development milestone, a concept EV called the Pu+Ra HPE.
Lancia’s EV concept kicks off its next decade of design
While Pu+Ra HPE remains a mere concept for the latest era of the Lancia brand, the automaker says it represents its vision of what to expect within its production of EVs over the next decade, beginning with an all-electric version of the Ypsilon.
The concept’s “HPE” title stands for “high-performance electric” and is a modern spin on the “high-performance estate” initialism Lancia put on its vehicles in the 1970s. Lancia says the EV concept represents its future performance in delivering over 700 km (435 miles) of electric range, charging times under 10 minutes, and energy consumption under 10 kWh per 100 km.
Like the Pu+Ra HPE, Lancia says its future EVs will feature low roofs, slim digital wing mirrors, and advanced aerodynamics. The EV’s minimalist interface consists of the brand’s Sound Air Light Augmentation (SALA), which combines audio, climate control, and lighting functions into one system that can be controlled through a button or voice command.
Stellantis’ “Chameleon” technology debuts on the EV concept and is able to adapt the atmosphere of the passenger space in correlation with the vehicle’s external environment, adjusting the sound, air, and light accordingly.
As you’ll see from the images below, Lancia is working to deliver unique EVs – especially with interiors that are designed with sustainability and “a feeling of home” in mind.
Lancia wants to deliver the cozy feeling of home
To set the tone for its next decade of production EVs, Lancia partnered with interior and furniture design firm Cassina – a fellow Italian company – to capture the spirit of the country, combine respective traditions, and showcase respect for the environment – all within the concept’s interior. Per the release:
The interiors of Lancia Pu+Ra HPE express full coherence with the brand’s new, pure and radical design language, thanks to the use of iconic and simple shapes that eschew the typical automotive language. Inside the concept car, an eclectic space inspired by interior design, the atmosphere of contemporary homes, by fluid architecture with great attention to detail in an overall composition of pure forms.
In addition to possibly creating the world’s first car inspired by furniture, Lancia is also making up its own words to describe its new EV concept. The automaker explains that the Pu+Ra HPE represents sustainability with style, or “sustylenability.”
For instance, the concept EV’s door panels are made from MARM MORE – a soft, waterproof material made from up to 50% waste from marble dust and recycled fabric. The table in the Lancia concept is made from M49 BioAcetate Renew Mazzucchelli – a biobased cellulose acetate popular in fashion and eyewear.
Lancia states it has leveraged its partnerships with several “made in Italy” brands to implement sustainable materials throughout the interior, in line with its ten-year plan to have 70% of EV touchable surfaces come from eco-sustainable textiles.
When will we see a passenger EV from Lancia?
Looking ahead, Lancia already has three EV models in its production pipeline that should feature at least some of the design and performance technology showcased in the Pu+Ra HPE concept above.
The aforementioned Ypsilon is expected to kick off Lancia’s rebirth as an EV brand in 2024, although that it will also come available as a hybrid. That being said, the Ypsilon will be Lancia’s last combustion vehicle ever.
Lancia intends to follow up with a midsize fastback called the Gamma – a rebirth of its nameplate originally launched back in 1976. Lancia said the Gamma EV was previously referred to internally as Aurelia and should arrive in 2026. Lancia intends to be a 100% EV brand by 2028 when the Delta hatchback arrives.
We, unfortunately, have not seen any renderings of what those incoming EVs may look like, but we should have some hints from Lancia’s concept debut. To showcase the design process for an all-electric future, Lancia has created a short film called “Giving Shape to the Future.” Check out the trailer below:
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Believe it or not, you can lease an EV for under $200 a month. New deals on models like the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 are hard to pass up this month.
Electric vehicles have been all over the news lately, with the Trump administration threatening to end federal incentives and introducing new tariffs that are expected to lead to higher prices.
On the positive side, new EV models are arriving, giving buyers more options and driving prices down. Many automakers reported record US electric car sales in the first three months of 2024.
GM remained the number two seller of EVs behind Tesla after sales doubled in Q1 2025. With the new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is off to its best sales start since launching, with over 11,600 models sold in the first quarter.
With the 2025 models rolling out and about 15 new EVs arriving this year, many automakers are introducing steep discounts to move vehicles off the lot.
EVs for lease for under $200 a month in April
Although the decade-old Nissan LEAF remains one of the most affordable this April at just $149 per month, there are a few EVs under $200 right now that are worth taking a look at.
The new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ might be the best EV deal this month, with leases as low as $199. Hyundai is currently promoting a 24-month lease deal with $3,999 due at signing.
Hyundai upgraded the electric SUV with a bigger battery for more range (now up to 318 miles), a sleek new look inside and out, and it now comes with an NACS port so you can charge it at Tesla Superchargers.
The offer is for the IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range, which has a driving range of up to 245 miles. For just $229 a month, you can snag the SE RWD model, which has a range of up to 318 miles and a more powerful (225 horsepower) electric motor. It’s also a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is offering a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger with the purchase or lease of any 2024 or 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.
After slashing lease prices this month, the 2025 Nissan Ariya is actually cheaper than the LEAF in some regions. In Southern California, the 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD is listed at just $129 per month. The AWD model has a range of up to 272 miles.
The deal is for 36 months, with $4,409 due at signing. In April, Nissan cut Ariya lease prices to around $239 in most other parts of the country.
Kia has a few EVs available to lease for under $200 a month in April. The 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind is listed at just $129 for 24 months, with $3,999 due at signing. Kia’s crossover SUV has EPA-estimated range of 253 miles.
The 2024 EV6 may be worth considering at just $179 for 24 months ($3,999 due at signing). In California, the EV6 Light Long Range RWD is only slightly more than the Niro Wind.
In most other parts of the country, you can still find the EV6 for under $200 a month. The Light Long Range RWD trim offers up to 310 miles of EPA-estimated range.
| Lease Price | Term (months) |
Amount Due at Signing | Driving Range | |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | $199 | 24 | $3,999 | 245 miles |
| 2024 Kia EV6 Light Long Rang RWD | $179 | 24 | $3,999 | 310 miles |
| 2024 Kia Niro EV Wind | $129 | 24 | $3,999 | 253 miles |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD | $129 | 36 | $4,409 | 272 miles |
| 2025 Nissan LEAF S FWD | $149 | 36 | $2,629 | 149 miles |
| 2024 Fiat 500 INSPI(RED) | $199 | 24 | $2,999 | 149 miles |
And don’t forget the 2024 Fiat 500e, which is now listed at just $199 for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 149 miles.
If you are looking to spend a little more, check out our list of EVs you can lease for under $300 a month.
Ready to snag the savings while they are still here? At under $200 a month, some of these EV lease deals are hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find deals in your area.
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![The US’s first solar panels over canals pilot is now online [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Project-Nexus-solar-canal.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Project Nexus, the first solar panel canopies over irrigation canals in the US, is now online in California, and there are plans to expand the project to other areas.
Project Nexus is a $20 million pilot in central California’s Turlock Irrigation District launched in October 2022. The project team is exploring solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits using canal infrastructure and the electrical grid.
India already has solar panels over canals, but Project Nexus is the first of its kind in the US.
The Turlock Irrigation District was the first irrigation district formed in California in 1887. It provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm around 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
Project Nexus will explore whether the solar panels reduce water evaporation as a result of midday shade and wind mitigation, create improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth, reduce canal maintenance as a result of reduced vegetative growth, and, of course, generate renewable electricity.
The California Department of Water Resources, utility company Turlock Irrigation District, Marin County, California-based water and energy project developer Solar AquaGrid, and The University of California, Merced, are partnering on the pilot. Project Nexus originated from a 2021 research project led by UC Merced alumna and project scientist Brandi McKuin.
Solar panels were installed at two sites over both wide- and narrow-span sections of Turlock Irrigation District canals in Stanislaus County, in various orientations. The sections range from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. University of California, Merced has positioned research equipment at both sites to collect baseline data so the researchers can decide where solar will work and where it won’t.
In February 2023, Project Nexus announced it would also deploy long-term iron flow battery storage in the form of two ESS 75kW turnkey “Energy Warehouse” batteries.
You can learn more about Project Nexus here:
Read more: In a US first, California will pilot solar-panel canopies over canals
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