2025 Lancia Ypsilon HF electric hot hatch breaks cover

Stellantis has released first pictures and details of the 2025 Lancia Ypsilon HF electric hot hatch that will serve as the high-performance flagship of its next-generation Ypsilon range when it goes on sale in Europe in May 2025.

An EV successor for the seminal Lancia Delta performance cars of the past, the Ypsilon hot hatch carries the HF acronym for ‘high fidelity’ that was first used back in 1966.

The Ypsilon HF is said to come with a single 177kW electric motor that drives the front wheels and hauls the small hatch from 0-100km/h in just 5.8 seconds.

That’s a big boost on the regular EV’s 115kW/260Nm output, although the faster version is believed to share the standard 51kWh battery that provides a range up to 400km and can be topped up from 20-80 per cent in a claimed 25 minutes.

Ensuring it can cope with that level of power, the new small hatch features a wider track compared to the less powerful base model and gets a lower and stiffer sports suspension with wider black fender extenders.

The images released overnight suggest the Ypsilon HF will boast larger alloy wheels and a performance brake upgrade.

Inside, HF decals adorn the cabin, while cool-looking blue Alcantara sports seats feature integrated head restraints.

As well as the fast road car, Lancia has also announced it is returning to rallying in the Rally 4 category with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally 4 HF.

Instead of an all-electric powertrain, the race car is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine that produces 156kW and combines with a five-speed gearbox and a mechanical limited-slip differential.

In Europe, the same 1.2-litre triple uses 48-volt mild-hybrid tech to produce up to 74kW.

The new Lancia Ypsilon sits on the Stellantis’ Common Modular Platform (CMF) that has been developed for both EV and combustion powertrains. It currently underpins both the new Jeep Avenger and the Fiat 600 SUVs.

Lancia has already announced that in Italy the Ypsilon will initially be offered in three trim levels – the base model, LX and Edizione Cassina – with either hybrid or all-electric power.

High-series models will come with dual 10.25-inch screens and Level 2 autonomous driving aids, plus a cabin air filtration system as standard.

After launching in Italy in 2024, the brand will return to Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Spain, France and Germany in 2025.

Once launched, the Ypsilon will be followed up by the Gamma SUV in 2026 and the long-awaited Delta replacement in 2028 that is also thought to look like a higher-riding SUV.

There’s no word yet on Lancia’s return to right-hand drive markets like the UK or Japan, which could one day pave the way for an Australian launch.

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