Cupra, SEAT's spinoff high-performance and electric brand, has shown off its first all-electric model, the Born, in full. A roomy, five-door hatchback, it shares its MEB electric car platform with the Volkswagen ID.3, and will go on sale in Ireland in early 2022.
Named for a trendy part of Barcelona
The car is named after the trendy El Born area of Barcelona, SEAT and Cupra's home town, even though the Born will actually be built alongside the Volkswagen ID.3 in Zwickau, in Germany. That's a bonus, though, as Zwickau's recent updates, and its use of 'green' energy means that Cupra can boast that the Born will arrive into dealerships with a carbon-neutral halo above its roof.
"The Cupra Born is a game-changer in the electric market and the impulse of the company's transformation. Delivering stimulating design, instantaneous performance and offering an all-electric range of more than 500km, the Cupra Born will contribute to reducing global CO2 emissions and meeting European targets. But it's more than that," said Wayne Griffiths, President of Cupra and SEAT. "Through its emotional sportiness, we want the next generation of young challengers to be part of this transformation. That's why Cupra will use unconventional sales models to reach new people and take the CUPRA brand beyond the traditional."
Although the Born is, essentially, the same as the ID.3 under the skin, Cupra's engineers have tried to put some performance distance between it and the Volkswagen. It will come with a choice of the same rear-mounted, rear-wheel drive electric motors as the VW, in 110kW and 150kW forms - that's 150hp and 204hp for those still viewing in black and white. However, by pressing a button on the steering wheel - one which dangles, Porsche-like, from the right hand spoke of the wheel - the Born can unleash a temporary power boost of 20kW (27hp) for overtaking or extar acceleration.
Big and small battery options
In battery terms, it will be offered with a choice of a 58kWh pack with a one-charge range of 420km (on the WLTP test), or a larger 77kWh pack with a one-charge range of up to 540km. The smaller-battery model will accelerate to 100km/h in seven seconds, but the larger battery allows a little more grunt to be unleashed, cutting that time to 6.6 seconds. The around-town 0-50km/h time is just 2.6 seconds.
Those batteries can be charged at speeds of up to 125kW on a rapid DC public charger, which can top up the battery from five per cent to 80 per cent in around 35 minutes. At maximum charging speed, it takes around seven minutes to add an extra 100km of range.
"The Cupra Born integrates a very advanced electric powertrain technology, helping to deliver an exhilarating drive from Cupra's first all-electric vehicle," said Werner Tietz, Executive Vice-President for Research and Development at Cupra and SEAT. "The Cupra Born proves that electrification and performance are a perfect match, it's a game-changer in the market, contributing to the reduction in CO2 but without any compromises - it's environmentally conscious but at the same time dynamic and exciting." Tietz also says that the car's suspension and steering settings have been significantly altered to create further difference between the Born and the ID.3
Style-wise, the Born gets a pointed nose, with slim, piercing headlights (designed to mimic human eyes, according to Jorge Díez, Design Director at Cupra and SEAT) but if you look further back, you can pretty easily see that the Born has the same hard points, under the skin, as the ID.3. In profile the two cars are very similar. "The Cupra Born's design is multifaceted, it sharpens the Cupra look while at the same time incorporating the modernity of its advanced electric powertrain" said Díez. "It delivers a strong Cupra character that expresses agility and performance with its mix of flowing surfaces and technical details."
Contrasting textures
In the cabin, there's a little more differentiation with a larger, squarer infotainment screen in the centre of the dash, and an angular housing for the digital instrument panel. Again, Cupra says that inspiration has been taken from Barcelona, so there are lots of contrasting textures and colour changes within the cabin, along with lashings of Cupra's signature dark copper trim. Much of the interior uses plastics recovered from the sea and recycled by the 'Seaquel' initiative.
On the safety front, the Born will come with Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control, Travel Assist, Side and Exit Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Emergency Assist and Pre-Crash Assist, as well as an augmented reality heads-up display.
There will also be a full suite of online connectivity options, and the ability to monitor and control the car's charging by remote from a smartphone.