New 2021 Cupra el-Born is VW Group’s first EV hot hatch
Cupra version of Seat’s MEB-based electric hatchback promises a 310-mile range and can do 0-31mph in 2.9sec.
The next production model from Cupra, Seat’s now-separate performance brand, will be a sporting version of the Spanish maker’s el-Born electric hatchback.
Revealed today ahead of a full launch in 2021, the Cupra el-Born is said to bring “sustainable mobility with a unique character and dynamism” and will be the first performance-oriented version of the modular MEB electric platform in the Volkswagen Group’s range. It has been chosen to launch the el-Born instead of the Seat brand, as was originally intended.
Only a scant amount of technical detail for the Cupra el-Born has been released. The EV will be powered by a 77kWh (82kWh gross) battery pack sending power through a rear-mounted electric motor of undisclosed output.
Cupra promises a range of up to 310 miles on a single charge, with fast charging making capable of receiving 161 mies of charge in 30 minutes. That’s significantly more than the el-Born was expected to launch with in Seat form; the concept features a 62kWh battery for a range of 261 miles.
Although no 0-62mph time has been released, Cupra is quoting a 0-31mph time of 2.9secs for its version of the el-Born. For reference, the Seat el-Born concept promised a 0-62mph time of 7.5sec from a 201bhp electric motor.
The Cupra el-Born will bring new features to the brand that first debut on its Volkswagen ID 3 sibling, including an augmented reality head-up display. Specific Cupra-brand detailing includes sports bucket seats and a racier steering wheel design with drive mode buttons.
The Cupra el-Born will be manufactured alongside the ID 3 at the Group’s Zwickau plant in Germany. It will join the upcoming Formentor in 2021 alongside the existing Cupra Leon and Ateca - two cars that have racked up a combined 40,000 sales in the two years since the brand split from its Seat parent firm.
Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths has also confirmed a specific Cupra dealer network will be set up over the coming months and years across Europe, offering a bespoke sales and aftersales experience that he believes is key to the brand's success.
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