Stop The Press! Italy’s 2020 Lancia Ypsilon Gets Electrified Engine

In case you had forgotten, Lancia only makes one car which has nothing to do with their iconic models of the past.

It’s called the Ypsilon, a supermini closely related to the Fiat 500 and Panda, and it’s only being sold in a handful of markets. For the 2020MY, the Italian automaker has revised the range, adding a mild-hybrid propulsion system.

Quietly introduced in the local market (the only one where Lancia remains present), it packs the 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine that makes a modest 70 PS (69 HP / 51 kW) and 92 Nm (68 lb-ft) of torque. The powertrain features a 12-volt belt-driven starter generator and a tiny lithium-ion battery.

If this recipe sounds familiar, it’s because this is the same combo used in the mild-hybrid versions of the 500 and Panda, where they have replaced the older 1.2-liter lump. The basic functionality sees the starter generator recovering the energy during deceleration and braking, and then storing it into the battery. This is then used to assist the internal combustion engine’s acceleration and stop/start system.

The 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration takes forever (14.2 seconds), while the top speed is 163 km/h (101 mph). The Ypsilon Hybrid EcoChic, which is the official name, returns 4.0-4.1 l/100 km (58.8-57.4 mpg US / 70.6-68.9 mpg UK) on average in the old and very optimistic NEDC cycle. You can identify one on the street via the added ‘Hybrid’ badge on the tailgate and the updated instrument cluster.

The 2020 Ypsilon range includes two grades, Silver and Gold, with local pricing starting from €14,450 ($16,314) and €15,570 ($17,578), respectively. Other engines available in the family are the 1.2-liter petrol/LPG and 0.9-liter petrol/methane.