Cupra begins manufacturing all-electric Born in Germany, Zwickau

Cupra is now starting series production of its first fully electric Born model at the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau. With the start of sales in November, Cupra introduced a new sales strategy with the agency model. In addition, customers have the option of purchasing El Born by subscription.

El Born was first introduced in 2019 as "el-Born", back then as Seat. The model was then transferred internally to Cupra and the production version of the Born was presented in May of this year. The model will roll off the assembly line in Zwickau alongside the VW ID.3, VW ID.4, Audi Q4 e-tron and Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron. They are all MEB-based vehicles. According to a press release from Seat, the daily production is currently 1,400 units, which corresponds to an annual capacity of around 330,000 electric cars.

The Cupra Born has an optional "e-Boost" function that briefly increases the output from 20 kW to 170 kW. However, this extra will only be available in 2022. The remaining specifications of the Cupra Born are based on those of the VW ID.3: a rear engine output of 110 or 150 kW plus three levels. Battery with 45 kWh, 58 kWh or 77 kWh usable energy content. In the case of the Cupra, this should enable a standard range of 340, 420 or 540 kilometers. The 110 kW is available with the small battery, the 77 kWh model is only available with 150 kW. With the 58 kWh battery, customers can choose the power of the engine.

In Germany, the compact car starts there at 37,220 euros, which corresponds to a price of 27,650 euros after the environmental bonus. In Spain the vehicle starts at 31,600 euros, the most powerful version (150 kW motor and 62 kWh battery) at 36,720 euros.

“From the end of this year, two versions with an 'e-Boost' function are expected to be available. These vehicles will be available with the 58 kWh battery, but also with the 77 kWh battery. Cupra has not yet announced the prices of these two variants, which will be delivered from February 2022.

The entry-level model such as the ID.3 with 45 kWh battery and 110 kW motor is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2022. It is also unclear how far the base price will go. below the current 37,220 euros for the 58 kWh model. In May, 32,700 euros were mentioned. With the next basic model, the Born will have bucket seats at the front, 18-inch wheels, Keyless Go, lane departure warning and parking sensors at the front and rear. like LED headlights and taillights.

With its sporty orientation and features such as 18-inch alloy wheels and individual sports seats, the Cupra Born sits a little higher than the ID.3. The comparable model VW ID.3 Pro Performance currently costs 36,690 euros. The Born is tailored to the equipment: The ID.3 Pro Performance, for example, comes with factory-fitted steel rims.

For the Born launch in November, Cupra presents a new sales strategy: the well-known agency model of the VW ID.3 and ID.4. In future, customers will order directly from the manufacturer, the distributor will only act as an intermediary (or intermediary). In addition, the Seat brand has announced that it will be offering Born on a subscription basis. However, the company does not provide any further details. The move is not surprising: Volkswagen only announced at the beginning of the month that it would offer cars in Germany on a subscription basis. The ID.3 and ID.4 models will be the first.

Cupra recently announced it would become an all-electric brand by 2030. The Born will be followed by the Cupra Tavascan in 2024 and the series version of the UrbanRebel Concept in 2025. "- at least the small electric car with the series version of the ID card. Life is being built in Spain at the Martorell plant. In this context, Seat has sent a team of engineers known to Zwickau to gain experience for the future production of electric vehicles at the Martorell plant, where from 2025 more than 500,000 electric cars will be produced annually for various brands of the group.