Lancia Ypsilon: the premium electric car at a not-so-premium price


Lancia has communicated the prices of the different finishes of its brand new model. It’s rather a good surprise for the Lancia Ypsilon which starts from €34,800.

The Stellantis group has relaunched the Lancia brand at European level, wishing to position it in the premium category, like DS and Alfa Romeo. This choice raised fears that the Italian brand would not display prices that were always consistent with the electric car offered for sale. The suspense ended on May 28. After a lively conference, the brand announced the catalog prices for France in a press release.

Finally, the Lancia Ypsilon is a good surprise for the launch prices. The model is available from €34,800, which is lower than what we could have estimated and feared.

An attractive quality/price ratio, compared to Peugeot e-208 and Opel corsa-e

The Lancia Ypsilon is a new, slightly more upscale cousin of the Peugeot e-208 and the Opel Corsa-e. Finally, this is the theory, because in practice, the announced prices do not necessarily position the new Lancia product more expensive than the other two models. So much the better for the Lancia Ypsilon which must find a place in the electric city car market, but it is a little surprising for the “premium” aspect of the brand.

Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
Lancia Ypsilon from €34,800 // Source: Lancia

If we compare the entry-level finishes of the 3 competing models, the Lancia Ypsilon is well positioned as the most expensive of the 3 compared to the prices currently charged:

  • Peugeot e-208: from €34,100 (catalog price), but discounted on the manufacturer’s website from €33,080
  • Opel Corsa-e: from €36,100 (list price), but currently discounted to €32,050
  • Lancia Ypsilon: from €34,800

But unlike the e-208 and the corsa-e, which are available with the old 136 hp electric motor, the Lancia Ypsilon is only available with the new 156 hp (115 kW) engine for a 51 kWh battery. So if we compare the prices for equivalent engines, the result changes:

  • Peugeot e-208 GT 156 hp: €38,130
  • Opel Corsa-e GS 156 hp: €34,100
  • Lancia Ypsilon: €34,800

The Lancia city car then appears less expensive than the Peugeot, but the finishes and equipment are not equivalent.

Different colors of the Lancia Ypsilon // Source: LanciaDifferent colors of the Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
Different colors of the Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia

A price that rises quickly depending on the finish

The Lancia Ypsilon will begin its marketing in France with 3 finishes. The range breaks down as follows:

  • Lancia Ypsilon: €34,800
  • Lancia Ypsilon LX: €37,800
  • Lancia Ypsilon Cassina: €39,500

The brand has not yet specifically communicated the equipment included with the different finishes. The price difference with cousin models could widen depending on the options to be added to the Lancia.

Interior of the Lancia Ypsilon // Source: LanciaInterior of the Lancia Ypsilon // Source: Lancia
Interior of the Lancia Ypsilon Cassina // Source: Lancia

No finish is positioned above the psychological threshold of €40,000, which is a good thing for Lancia. This thwarts our predictions for the month of February, but so much the better for the model, which will perhaps not have as gloomy a future as we could predict.

The fact remains that these prices appear a bit like an “anomaly” compared to the positioning promised by the brand. These may be specific prices at launch, and therefore ephemeral. This may also offer hope of seeing the prices of other models in the group fall sustainably.

In any case, there is one premium model from the group that could really use a boost to revive its sales: the DS 3 e-tense. This is the forgotten premium brand from Stellantis. The 4.12 m long DS crossover (4 cm more than Ypsilon) has seen its price increase in recent months. It starts from €42,300, which means that it no longer has any chance, neither against this Ypsilon, nor against the future Alfa Romeo Junior.

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