Cupra is a few months away from officially launching the el-Born. Seat’s performance brand has announced that the electric compact EV will make its premiere after mid-2021. A slightly hotter variant of the Volkswagen ID.3 and the first zero-emission sporty hatchback made by the Group, the el-Born will be part of the Cupra lineup exclusively.
It will share its MEB platform with the
ID.3 and will be built at the same factory in Zwickau, Germany. The model is
expected with an electric motor, which could generate 201 HP,
and will drive the rear wheels. Cupra said that the el-Born needs 2.9 seconds
for the 0 to 60 km/h acceleration, and with the 77 kWh battery fully
charged, it should be have a range of around 500 km.
The el-Born was previewed by a concept at
the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, and it will echo it in terms of styling for the
most part. Thus, expect very similar front and rear ends, aggressive side
skirts, a roofline slightly arched towards the rear, big wheels and some bronze
accents.
Its ID.3 roots will be more visible
inside, where it will get a two-layer dashboard, free-standing digital
instrument cluster and three-spoke steering wheel. The center console will be a
bit raised compared to the electric Volkswagen and it will have distinct
upholstery and trim colors. The el-Born might be a bit pricier than the ID.3,
which starts at almost € 35,000 (US$ 42,600) in Germany.
On a related note, Cupra will also launch
two plug-in hybrid variants of the Formentor in the first quarter of 2021,
while Seat will expand the electrified lineup with the Tarraco e-Hybrid.
Moreover, the Ibiza supermini and Arona subcompact SUV will be updated this
year.