Peugeot has brought back the RCZ nameplate, reviving it as a striking electric concept car with assertive and modern design details. The automaker said that the RCZ Vision is a “brand manifesto that places driving pleasure, excitement and French panache at the heart of its innovation strategy.”
The RCZ Vision is indeed integrated with French panache, as it has a confident, bold, and arguably flashy design. Peugeot shared that the RCZ Vision electric concept car imagines the future by drawing inspiration from the brand’s heritage. The RCZ Vision is the successor to the RCZ coupé, produced between 2009 and 2015.
The design language seen on the RCZ Vision is coined by Peugeot as “Feline Future,” which is said to take the brand’s design DNA to its ultimate expression, while conveying a futuristic vision combined with elegance, simplicity, and emotion.
The French automaker goes on by saying that the Feline Future is built around five main ideas, which include freedom, courage, elegance, inner force, and instinct. The RCZ Vision’s exterior features a low-slung profile and crisp character lines that give it an assertive demeanor.
The most noticeable design detail on the exterior is arguably the head- and tail-lights, which show Peugeot’s new light signature pattern. It has an ultra-slim finish, arranged horizontally, which gives the RCZ Vision a distinctive look. It also has a double bubble roof, which is a nod to the original Peugeot RCZ. The bubble roof is made of glass that stretches from the hood all the way to the rear, creating a seamless finish while maintaining an aerodynamic shape.
Prominent character lines are seen on the side profile. You can also spot design details that make the RCZ Vision unique, such as the colors of the French flag seen on the front fender. It also comes with RCZ lettering. The electric concept car then sits on 21-inch front and 22-inch rear forged-aluminium wheels.
Inside, the Peugeot RCZ Vision electric car has a modern and futuristic interior theme. The car brand said that it has removed unnecessary visual clutter to create a calming atmosphere where occupants can relax. From the looks of it, Peugoet’s designer could have been inspired by Apple’s Liquid Glass user interface, as the RCZ Vision’s gauge cluster and center console appear to have been lifted from an iPhone home screen.
Meanwhile, the steering wheel design is new, and it could take some time to get used to seeing a rectangle-shaped steering wheel. Peugeot added that every element in the interior is arranged around the driver to keep the focus entirely on comfort and control.
The Peugeot RCZ Vision concept comes with an electric powertrain. It uses a solid-state battery designed with Factorial Energy, paired with a 1,000 volt electrical architecture. This generates a power output of 500 horsepower while offering a driving range of up to 600 kilometers on a single charge, according to Peugeot. The car brand added that the RCZ Vision concept can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in under 10 minutes.
Autocar’s Take
Peugeot has revived the RCZ into a striking electric concept car. The RCZ Vision is an assertive electric car, as its exterior is integrated with crisp character lines that make it an aggressive-looking car. The head- and tail-light design is interesting, and it could make the RCZ Vision a distinctive vehicle if the design makes it into production.
The interior is where Peugeot designers have shown their creativity. It looks modern and different from the cabin layout seen in cars sold on the market today. But the rectangle-shaped steering wheel that comes with four holes, which are integrated with vehicle functions, could require a bit of a learning curve. It also looks like a tray with four cup holders.
