Presented under the Seat label, the el-Born concept will become a production model bearing only the Cupra logo. This 100% electric sports car has a muscular aesthetic and performance to make a GTI pale. Presented on May 25, 2021, the Born will be available to order from November.
[Mis à jour le 20/09/2021] After revealing its Born last spring, Cupra lifts the veil on the prices of its 100% electric compact. Only one version is, initially announced: the Cupra Born V 204 hp at a price of 40,250 €. The others are expected later: the VZ will be available from November, and the entry-level 150 hp will be offered in early 2022.
TO READ. Cupra Born (2022). Price and range of the electric sports compact
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Presented on the Seat stand at the Geneva Motor Show 2019, the el-Born concept announced the first 100% electric car of the Spanish brand. But at the end of his press conference announcing his future strategy, it is under the Cupra label that we discovered the definitive version of the el-Born model, which has since become Born. Indeed, Wayne Griffiths, boss of the Spanish sports brand, announced that the standard Born will never be badged with the S of Seat, it will only be sold under the Cupra logo.
The concept in Cupra colors
The car takes again the lines appeared on the concept by strengthening certain details and by taking again the codes inherent to the Cupra brand, in particular with a mat blue color and copper reminders here and there. On board, sportiness obliges, the cabin is adorned with bucket seats, but also a steering wheel with a button to easily select the driving mode. Cupra adds, moreover, to have used many recycled materials. The layout is well known: it is the one used on board the Volkswagen ID.3, with a 10-inch touch screen and a digital panel for the instrumentation.
2.9 s to go from 0 to … 50 km / h!
For the mechanical part, Cupra only reveals the battery capacity: 82 kWh (77 kWh net). What to offer, according to the brand, a range of 500 km, without however specifying the homologation cycle used. In addition, on a fast charging station, it is possible to recover 260 km of range in 30 minutes. But for a sportswoman what matters is power and performance. Regarding the first information, Cupra remains discreet, but it seems certain that the car will have two engines, one of 150 kW (204 hp) on the rear axle and the other from 75 to 85 kW (100 to 115 ch) on the front. All of this to offer 225 to 235 kW (300 to 315 hp) of power.. Enough to go from 0 to 50 km / h in 2.9 s. Note that to improve road holding, the el-Born Cupra will have controlled damping (DCC).
Tests in the cold
To test its resistance, what better than a trip near the Arctic Circle, where temperatures easily reach -30 ° C?
The manufacturer carried out several tests in these extreme conditions: resistance of the electrical system and batteries in extreme cold, braking precision on all types of surface, general comfort and reaction of the air conditioning system despite freezing cold … On the other hand, if the brand claims that the heating works from the first seconds, there is no doubt that its use will have an impact on autonomy.
Launch in October 2021
The car will be manufactured at the German plant in Zwickau, where the Volkswagen ID.3 will also be assembled. Its arrival on the market is expected in the fall of 2021 since it will go into production in September. In addition, Seat / Cupra announces an investment of 5 billion euros by 2025 in research and development for the electrification of the range and the modernization of these production units. The Spanish duo plan to produce electric vehicles in Martorell, near Barcelona, from 2025.
TO READ. Cupra. The strategy and future electrified models until 2030
