The Cupra Born electric hot hatch,has been priced up ahead of customer deliveries getting underway in the first quarter of 2022.
First to arrive will be the mid-rung 201bhp car, equipped with a 58kWh battery for a range of 263 miles on the WLTP cycle, which is available in three trim levels. Entry-level V1 trim, priced from £33,735, includes 18in alloy wheels, LED lights at each end, a 12.0in infotainment screen, 5.3in digital gauge cluster, a rear-view camera and a raft of advanced driver aids.
Mid-rung V2 trim, priced from £34,190, adds larger 19in wheels, privacy glass, an AR head-up display and heated front seats, while the range-topping V3 package asks £37,375 for its 20in wheels and 12-way electronically adjustable bucket seats, which are finished in Dinamica leather and equipped with a massage function.
All 58kWh launch variants miss out on the government's newly lowered plug-in car grant threshold, which is now put at £32,500, but an entry-level 150bhp car with a 45kWh battery, due shortly after launch, could duck under that price point. A more powerful range-topper with 231bhp will follow later in the year, equipped with either the 58kWh battery or a larger 77kWh item with a range of 335 miles.
Previously known as the El-Born, Cupra’s first electric car is based on the MEB platform of its Volkswagen Group parent. It is almost technically identical and closely related visually to the Volkswagen ID 3 but brings its own “stimulating design and instantaneous performance”, according to Cupra, along with a distinctive “dynamic character”.
R&D boss Werner Tietz also promised the Born will offer a distinct driving experience compared to its VW Group siblings: "We have invested a lot of time in tuning the chassis, steering and powertrain. We will offer the car with DCC [dynamic chassis control] in combination with ESC Sport and a lower ride height - 50mm at the front and 10mm at the rear, which gives a nice feeling for the car.
"The DCC application is unique, and we spent a lot of time on different Tarmacs and in different conditions to fine-tune that. Then we combined that with progressive steering so you have a dynamic and sporty feeling for the handling, it gives a direct response."
The Born is the first fully electric model to join the brand’s line-up and follows the introduction of plug-in hybrid powertrain options for the Cupra Leon and Cupra Formentor.
Its powertrain comprises a rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor (rated at up to 16,000rpm) paired with a single-speed transmission and differential.
