Umberto Palermo Design has partnered with Federmetano and Reinova to develop Malya, a concept-laboratory for innovative and sustainable mobility solutions, with the aim of showcasing Italian design, industrial expertise, and the supply chain. The Malya project fits into a European landscape that is driving the development of compact, sustainable, and accessible vehicles, confirming the central role of a new generation of cars that are lighter, more efficient, and better suited to the needs of urban and suburban mobility. Building on its pursuit of aesthetic harmony, the design house founded by Umberto Palermo is thus broadening its focus to include the technological themes that will define the evolution of the vehicle and its powertrain options. Malya is conceived as a high-wheel e-car—compact yet spacious—designed for urban and suburban use.
The goal is to offer a vehicle that is practical for everyday use, capable of carrying up to 4 or 5 people in a vehicle less than 4 meters long. Every aspect stems from a technical choice: proportions, architecture, and construction solutions are designed to simplify production and reduce industrial complexity. The design features a chassis made of stainless steel tubing, extruded aluminum, and folded aluminum panels, minimizing the use of traditional sheet metal dies and plastic injection molding. Technologically, Malya is focused on electric propulsion with a battery pack and a potential range extender configuration powered by biomethane/methane, which can be combined with bioCNG and Hybrid/bioCNG solutions. A platform conceived as a laboratory to bring together design, energy, software, and the Italian supply chain.
