Peugeot Inception concept previews design direction for electric cars

French car-maker Peugeot has unveiled an edgy electric concept car which said to influence the design and technology in its future vehicles.

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the Peugeot Inception is a high-tech, high-performance concept car which the French brand claims can accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds, courtesy of its 507kW and all-wheel-drive.

Underpinning the Peugeot Inception is the ‘STLA Large’ electric-car platform, developed by parent company Stellantis.

STLA Large is expected to feature in the upcoming Dodge Charger and Challenger, which were previewed with the Daytona SRT Concept in August 2022.

According to Peugeot, the Inception concept is powered by a 100kWh battery which the company claims can provide up to 800km of driving range on a single charge.

Peugeot also claims the Inception’s battery can be topped up with 150km of driving range in five minutes thanks to its 800-volt electrical architecture – similar to the systems used in the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT.

While the ultra-fast charging can only be accessed with a traditional plug-in charger, the Inception can also be wirelessly charged with induction technology. Stellantis is currently conducting trials on inductive chargers built into road networks.

The Inception's exterior design takes cues from Peugeot’s current model line-up – as well as its 9X8 racecar – and turns it up a notch.

Its ‘grille’ is fitted with three horizontal driving lights and three vertical lights on each side of the illuminated badge.

A short ‘bonnet’ makes way for a large glass windscreen which extends below the grille, giving drivers an expansive view of the road ahead.

The sharp angles continue along the Peugeot Inception’s trapezoidal roof line, with thin frames surrounding the glass side windows and roof.

Short overhangs at the rear are combined with a steeply angled rear light panel which incorporates three vertical tail lights on either side, mirroring the headlight design.

Inside, the Inception is equipped with a radical evolution of Peugeot’s ‘i-Cockpit’, incorporating a ‘Hypersquare’ steering wheel which is fitted with a digital display and controls for all of the car’s functions.

The Peugeot Inception is also the French brand’s first concept car to be equipped with ‘steer-by-wire’ technology, removing any physical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. Instead, inputs are relayed via electronic systems between driver inputs and the steering system.

Peugeot claims the Inception is fitted with ‘Level Four’ autonomous driving technology. Such technology is not approved for road use anywhere in the world as the car can drive with next to no human intervention.

When its autonomous driving systems are activated, the Inception’s steering wheel retracts and is replaced by a panoramic screen.

It’s unlikely that we’ll see the Inception as a production car, with the car-maker saying it is merely a “showcase of the new techniques Peugeot will introduce to reduce its carbon footprint by more than 50 per cent by 2030 in Europe”.

Peugeot has previously announced its plans for all cars sold in Europe to exclusively run on electric power by 2030.

As reported in September 2022, Peugeot intends to bring its electric cars to Australia, although it has not detailed which models will arrive and at what times.