Peugeot has released two new concepts either side of Christmas.
The first is a ‘concept’ concept – a manifesto for a new age. It’s shown in a video which you can see on our Facebook page.
The second is this jaw-dropping preview of what Peugeot cars will start to look like after 2025. It’s called Inception and was revealed at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 6.
Inception is a 5 metre long and 1.34 metre high concept car sitting on Peugeot’s new all-electric STLA platform. It’s a large car electric platform that can be used across Stellantis’ expansive marque portfolio. Stellantis – Peugeot’s new parent company, for those living under a rock in the last 2 years – wasted no time showcasing the new RAM 1500 Revolution Battery Electric Vehicle Concept simultaneously at Las Vegas. It too runs on the STLA platform, and a read of the technical details mirrors much of what goes underneath the Inception.

Allowing imagination to run free, it’s not hard to picture STLA running beneath the curvaceous bodies of future Citroens, Chryslers, Lancias, Maseratis, Dodges and Opels, as Stellantis owns the lot.
Crucially, STLA and the other electric vehicle platforms will allow Peugeot to be a wholly electric vehicle manufacturer by 2030. Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson says, “PEUGEOT is committed to the electrification of its range. In 2023, 100% of the vehicles in the range will be electrified and in the next two years, five new 100% electric models will be launched. Our ambition is simple: to make PEUGEOT the leading electric brand in Europe by 2030. This objective and ambitious vision pave the way for a radical transformation for the Brand. It is embodied today in the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT which marks the beginning of a new era! PEUGEOT promises that the world is a better place with Allure, the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT embodies the meaning of this promise from today onwards”.
On the outside
The first thing you might notice is how the Inception’s headlamps are housed in a 504-like trapezoidal nacelle. Squint hard. You’ll see it. The rest of Inception is so otherworldly, there’s no point in looking for references to past models, 504 or otherwise. It’s a clean slate. The forward-leaning ‘grille’, its 3-bar horizontal light signature, flat planes and angular body creases should all be expected to be applied to Peugeot’s future production cars from 2025 onwards.
The glazing is of a type used in architecture. There’s 7.25 square metres of it on Inception. Layers of metal oxides give it its blue to yellow tinge and high thermal insulation qualities. Like the glazing, the fine-flake single layer of metallic paint is designed to reflect the colours of the car’s surroundings.
A Tech Bar runs horizontally through the exterior door panels. It can say Hello or Goodbye to you as you approach or depart, commend you on your lovely silver jumpsuit, or inform you of how much charge or range the car has.



















Inside the Inception
Peugeot has taken its now-familiar i-Cockpit design and amped it up for the future. Late-model Peugeot drivers are already familiar with the tiny squared-off steering wheel sitting low in their laps to give them an unimpeded view of the high-set instrument panel.
Now, take that tiny steering wheel and replace it with the Hypersquare. The centre of the Hypersquare is a tablet-type screen dedicated to the distribution of control information. The pictograms for the different features (air conditioning, radio volume, ADAS, etc.) are displayed on the two side panels to facilitate access to the chosen control. The latter is located inside the circular recesses and can be accessed by moving the thumb only, without taking your hands off the steering control.









In front of the Hypersquare is the Halo Cluster, a screen which will give driver, passengers and people approaching the car crucial information about assorted goings-on. Its outline can be seen from above the car as a pure circle.
If the driver chooses Level 4 Autonomous Driving, the Hypersquare retracts, and a large panoramic screen slides out from the floor. Hypersquare is coming to production cars before 2030.
Rear passengers are treated to an immersive (not too immersive, one hopes) glass-backed front seat-backs with digital screens enabling them to customise their own comfort and environment.



Under the Bonnet
There is an under-bonnet area, surprisingly. The small panel in front of the windscreen slides rearward for charging point access and other functions.
Peugeot’s media press release states, “The 100% electric PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT is equipped with 800V technology. Its 100kWh battery enables it to travel 800 km on a single full charge the distance from Paris to Marseille or Brussels to Berlin. Its consumption is remarkable, at only 12.5kWh per 100 km. The battery charges the equivalent of 30km of range in one minute, or 150km in five minutes. The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT can be recharged by induction, simplifying this step without the need for a cable.
Two compact electric motors, one at the front, the other at the rear, make the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT a four-wheel drive vehicle for the excellence of fully controlled dynamic driving. The combined power is close to 680hp (500kW). Acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in less than 3 seconds”.