The beefier front design has a much wider air intake and a pair of sharp headlights along with Cupra’s massive logo finished in copper. The same contrasting hue been applied throughout the exterior as well as inside since it represents the brand’s signature color. The rear adopts an extended LED light strip on the tailgate to create a visual connection with the taillights and to echo the other Cupra and SEAT models.

Cupra made the effort to spruce up the interior of the Born to further separate its first EV from the ID.3. For example, the 12-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system is slightly bigger than what you get on the equivalent VW model. The sporty seats with great lateral support and built-in headrests are also exclusive to the Born, much like the two dedicated buttons on the steering wheel.

At the heart of the compact EV is a rear-mounted motor good for 148 or 201 horsepower to echo the VW ID.3. It develops 310 Nm (229 lb-ft) in both instances and draws its necessary energy from a 45-kWh battery in the case of the lowered-powered model and a bigger 58-kWh pack if you step up to the more powerful configuration.

The key difference between the Cupra Born and the VW ID.3 is the availability of an upgraded powertrain for the Spanish model. Go for the E-Boost package and the horsepower count increases to a meaty 228 hp to enable a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in as little as 6.6 seconds. It’s more powerful and quicker than the range-topping ID.3 to help earn its performance-focused Cupra badge.

The 45-kWh model has enough juice for approximately 340 kilometers (211 miles) in the WLTP cycle, according to Cupra’s estimations. The aforementioned 58-kWh battery will last for around 420 kilometers (261 miles) in both the 201-hp and 228-hp versions of the Spanish EV. For the best range available, a larger 77-kWh provides a driving range between cycles of 540 kilometers (336 miles).

Even though Cupra is unveiling the Born today, production won’t be starting until September at the same plant in Zwickau, Germany where the ID.3 is made.

Source: Cupra

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Technical specifications have yet to be revealed, but with Cupra being positioned as a sporty brand underneath the VW Group’s umbrella, it should be a tad more exciting than the ID.3. Whether that means SEAT’s go-faster division is cooking up a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version remains to be seen, but the hardware is already available in the ID.4 GTX electric SUV.

From the few technical specifications known already, the 0 to 31 mph sprint will be done in 2.9 seconds while the 0-62 mph performance is not known. For what it’s worth, the El Born concept completed the task in seven and a half seconds thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor good for 201 horsepower. The final version will have a 77-kWh battery pack with enough energy for 310 miles based on the WLTP cycle. Juice up the battery through fast-charging and you will get 161 miles of range in only half an hour.

These teaser images show design details hinting the road-going model won’t stray away too far from last year’s concept car. You’ll immediately be able to tell the Cupra Born is mechanically related to the ID.3, but SEAT’s newly established brand has tried to make changes here and there to give it a distinct visual identity.

It remains to be seen whether Audi and Skoda will get their own versions of the MEB-based compact hatchback formula. That seems a logical move to make to spread out the development costs, much like the VW Group has done with its MQB platform engineered for vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

Source: Cupra

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The Cupra Born has been subjected to more than 1,000 tests, including for durability by racking up almost 19,000 test miles during both day and night evaluations. It will be the first Cupra-badged model to do away with the combustion engine and will likely be more fun to drive than the equivalent ID.3 given Cupra’s youth-oriented positioning in the vast VW Group.

Technical specifications remain shrouded in mystery at this point, but Cupra does talk about how it developed the air conditioning system back at home in Martorell, Spain at its Technical Center. Located some 2,500 miles away from where the prototypes are conducting winter testing, the R&D center has access to 3D printers that were used to develop the air conditioning system that would be able to cope with such extreme temperatures.

The MEB-based electric hatch is expected to offer as much as 310 miles of range between charges and feature a rear-mounted electric motor similar to the 201-horsepower unit installed in the VW ID.3. Whether an all-wheel-drive, dual-motor performance version is planned remains to be seen, but it would make sense since the Cupra Born will be marketed as a more exciting ID.3.

If last year’s el-Born concept is any indication, expect a relatively large battery pack and a 0 to 31 mph sprint in 2.9 seconds. Equipped with fast-charging support, the production model should offer 161 miles of range after only 30 minutes of charge, which should be more than adequate for most people.

The world premiere is scheduled for early next month and production will take place at the same Zwickau plant in Germany where its VW twin is assembled. Come 2024, the all-electric Travascan crossover will hit the market.

Source: Cupra

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The Formentor crossover is Cupra’s first bespoke vehicle that’s not based on an existing SEAT product and is offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Later this year, the Born compact electric hatchback will be launched as a production model after being previewed in July 2020 by the el-Born concept. As it turns out, the 2022 Born will be the start of an EV revolution as Cupra will be transformed into a purely electric brand.

The announcement was made by Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess on his personal account on LinkedIn: “Cupra will become the youthful and fully electric car brand.” To get the ball rolling, VW’s head honcho confirmed the Born is coming later in 2021 and he says it has “made a good first impression – highly emotional and more Cupra than anything before.”

To get there, SEAT/Cupra will gradually turn the Martorell plant into a production facility dedicated exclusively to EVs. In addition, Diess says plans are in order to manufacturer the necessary battery packs in Spain to keep the logistics costs down and utilize green energy to protect the environment. VW’s CEO needs support from the authorities, mentioning Cupra can become a fully electric car brand if the European Commission backs up the project.

Meanwhile, the Born will be built at VW Group’s Zwickau plant in Germany from the second half of the year. It’s the same production facility where the ID.3 is assembled, so it makes sense to build Cupra’s first EV there as well since the Born is largely based on the ID.3. Further down the line, SEAT’s performance sub-brand will turn the Tavascan electric concept into a production model as a zero-emissions sporty crossover.

Source: Herbert Diess / LinkedIn

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