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Peugeot has shown the E-T16 Concept, a tri-motor electric hatchback featuring its square Hypersquare steering control. The design depends on steer-by-wire, which sends driver inputs to a computer rather than through a continuous mechanical link to the front wheels. Peugeot has not announced production plans for the E-T16 or provided independent evidence for its performance claims.
Peugeot has presented the E-T16 Concept, a tri-motor electric hatchback with a square, button-filled steering control called the Hypersquare. The design is paired with steer-by-wire, a system that sends steering inputs electronically instead of relying on a continuous mechanical connection between the steering wheel and front wheels, at the 2026 Paris Motor Show.
The Hypersquare’s shape is tied to how steer-by-wire works. In a conventional car, turning the steering wheel moves a steering column and rack connected to the front wheels. With steer-by-wire, sensors relay the driver’s input to a computer, which directs motors to turn the wheels. That arrangement allows the relationship between hand movement and wheel movement to vary with driving conditions.
Peugeot says the E-T16’s system is calibrated for performance driving and that the control includes a configurable central display for information such as speed and lap times. The automaker also says key functions can be operated with finger movements. These are Peugeot’s descriptions of a concept system; the source report does not provide independent testing or detailed technical specifications.
Peugeot describes the E-T16 as a tri-motor electric hatchback and says it can complete three laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife—more than 60 kilometers—in Performance mode without power limitation. That is a manufacturer claim about a concept vehicle, not a verified production-car result. The design also recalls the 205 T16, Peugeot’s rally car associated with back-to-back World Rally Championship titles in 1985 and 1986.
Why the Square Control Needs Software
The unusual shape is not simply a conventional wheel with its top removed. A square control makes most sense if drivers do not need to rotate it through the large range required by traditional steering. Steer-by-wire can alter the steering ratio electronically, allowing a smaller hand movement to produce a larger wheel turn at low speeds and a more restrained response at highway speeds. That flexibility is what could make a non-round control usable.
It also makes the concept a test of how far automakers can redesign a familiar interface. Peugeot says the layout places controls and a display close to the driver’s hands, but a concept reveal does not show whether those features improve real-world usability. The central question is whether drivers can steer accurately and comfortably while relying on an electronic system—and whether they like the feel it creates.
Because steer-by-wire removes the direct mechanical link, the sensation transmitted to the driver is generated by the system rather than naturally carried through a steering rack. The source report identifies that feel as an open question. For readers, the distinction matters: the Hypersquare’s promise and its usability depend not only on its shape, but on how reliably and convincingly the electronics translate input into steering.
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From Conventional Wheels to Wire
Traditional steering connects the wheel to the front wheels through mechanical components. That connection generally means the driver must turn the steering wheel substantially to move from full left to full right, which can require repositioning the hands during tight maneuvers. A steer-by-wire setup replaces that direct pathway with electronic signals and actuators, giving engineers greater ability to vary steering response.
The source report says steer-by-wire is already offered on vehicles including the Tesla Cybertruck and Lexus RZ. The Hypersquare stands out in the report because it uses the technology to support a markedly different steering-control shape, rather than retaining a mostly conventional wheel. Peugeot has also shown the control on other concepts, including the Polygon, according to the report.
The E-T16 is one of several French concepts presented at the 2026 Paris Motor Show. The supplied material also describes a Citroën 2 CV-inspired electric concept and a Renault E-Space concept. Those vehicles provide show context, but the E-T16’s key development is the pairing of a square control with steer-by-wire; the material does not establish that the concept itself will reach production.
““The Hypersquare® integrates a configurable central display showing essential information such as speed and lap timing according to driving conditions.””
— Peugeot, in its description of the E-T16 Concept
Production and Driving Feel Remain Open
Peugeot has not confirmed that the E-T16 will enter production, and the source material gives no schedule for a production decision. It also does not provide detailed specifications for the steer-by-wire hardware, redundancy provisions, or how the system behaves if an electronic component fails.
How the Hypersquare feels in actual driving is also unresolved. Peugeot describes its ergonomics and precision positively, but the report offers no independent evaluation from a road test. Without a mechanical steering link, the steering sensation must be generated electronically, and the quality and naturalness of that feedback cannot be judged from the concept’s description alone.
The Nürburgring statement is likewise a manufacturer claim. The supplied material does not document a completed, independently measured run or provide test conditions beyond Peugeot’s wording. A show-floor demonstration may let visitors handle the control, but it would not by itself establish performance or production readiness.
Show Demonstrations Before Any Production Call
The source report says a Hypersquare demonstration unit is expected to be available at the Paris Motor Show. Visitors may be able to try the control, though the material does not specify whether the demonstration will involve a moving car or a stationary display.
The next meaningful developments would be Peugeot releasing technical details, showing the system in a functioning vehicle, or announcing whether the E-T16 or Hypersquare will be used in a production model. Until the company makes such an announcement—and the system receives real-world evaluation—the square control remains a concept-stage proposal rather than a confirmed new production feature.
Key Questions
What is Peugeot’s Hypersquare?
It is a square steering control shown in Peugeot’s E-T16 Concept. The control has openings and buttons, plus a configurable central display, according to Peugeot.
Why does the Hypersquare require steer-by-wire?
Steer-by-wire sends driver inputs electronically to steering actuators, allowing the steering ratio to change with conditions. That can reduce how far the control needs to turn, making a non-round shape more practical than it would be with conventional mechanical steering.
Is the Peugeot E-T16 going into production?
The supplied information does not confirm production plans for the E-T16. It is presented as a concept, and Peugeot has not provided a production timeline in the source material.
Has Peugeot’s Nürburgring claim been independently verified?
Not in the source material. Peugeot says the concept can complete three laps, more than 60 kilometers, in Performance mode without power limitation, but no independent test results are provided.
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