► New Peugeot Inception show car
► Revealed at 2023 CES gadget show
► Ushers in next-era EV architecture
Peugeot’s latest concept car – the Inception – has been revealed. It’s a wild-looking thing with an equally wild interior. But, in a departure from the norm when it comes to concept cars, the Inception has plenty of very interesting performance specs.
It’s designed to show off the power and intelligence of Stellantis’ new set of EV platforms (named STLA), as well as the software and hardware developments the mega-group has made since forming.
Woah! It’s still a dramatic thing to behold…
Keeping in line with the fact that all current Peugeots are, too. The Inception takes some of Peugeot’s current design cues, as well as its new badge, and expands on them. Three light fangs instead of one, sharp apexes and creases, and even wilder wheels than those seen on the new 408 crossover. The doors have panels in them capable of communicating messages outwardly, and the glass diffuses light equally.
Inside, you can still tell it’s a Peugeot. The small, oblong steering wheel points to a new generation of i-Cockpit (the steering wheel is nicknamed the Hyperwheel) and features fingerprint sensors and steer-by-wire technology, as well as a touchscreen tablet in the centre. The Hyperwheel folds away completely, as the Inception is designed to show off Stellantis’ development in Level 4 autonomy – something the group calls STLA AutoDrive.
Elsewhere, the almost lounge-like interior includes seats that mould to those sitting in them and a huge panoramic glass roof.
You mentioned specs?
Ah, yes. The Inception runs on the STLA Large platform, a set of components for (you guessed it) cars at the bigger end of the spectrum. STLA Large is the biggest of three Stellantis BEV platforms planning on being rolled out over the next decade. As this is uses the Large one, think of this as the next generation 508, for example.
The Inception features an 800v architecture for faster charging (claiming to zap up to 93 miles in five minutes, a 100kWh battery nestled between the wheels and a range claim of 497 miles. As for performance, the Inception is an all-wheel drive machine boasting 671bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of under three seconds.