Faster, cheaper Cupra Born EV a chance for Australia
No timing yet, but smaller battery could deliver big benefits for Cupra Born electric carA cheaper, faster, facelifted Cupra Born electric hatch is shaping as the vehicle to keep the rollout of new models from the Spanish brand percolating in 2024.
The order book for the 2023 Cupra Born EV opens in Australia today (December 20) with pricing set at $59,990 plus on-road costs.
There’s only one model available at launch – a 170kW single-motor rear-drive five-door hatch fitted with a 77kWh (net) battery pack.
If secured, the added Born variant could fill a model introduction hole that will soon open up for Cupra in Australia.
As carsales has reported, the next new models officially due after the 77kWh Cupra Born are the Cupra Terramar PHEV and Cupra Tavascan EV in 2025.
But Cupra’s local arm is actively investigating adding the 170kW Born with a 58kWh battery sold in Europe as soon as 2024.
“We have launched with the 77 because we think that range is a critical factor in EV uptake and one of the key things people look at,” said Cupra Australia head of product and planning Jeff Shafer.
“But the 58kW is certainly of interest to us, it’s something we are talking to headquarters about. We don’t have any timeframe on when that could become available.
“It’s unlikely within 2023, so it would be 2024 or beyond.
“Every car has its lifecycle and it could be a facelift change, but we will see what we can work on with the factory resolving availability for Australia and then what that means for an introduction time.”
The 58kWh Born would be cheaper than the 77 because of its smaller battery pack, and lighter for the same reason.
That lighter weight currently enables the 58kWh Born to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds, while the 77kWh version takes 7.0 seconds.
It could also provide better dynamics, which is critical to Cupra which wants to be known as an enthusiast brand.
The flipside is the 58kWh Born’s range deficit. On the WLTP standard, it is rated to travel 360-419km between recharges while the bigger-battery version has been locally homologated with a 511km range.
“I think there are a couple of different things it (the 58kWh Born) actually brings to the table,” said Shafer.
“We would expect it to have a lower price based on less battery hardware and less range. There’s definitely something we can move on that.
“The second thing is the 58 will have slightly better performance or dynamics because the mass of the vehicle is reduced over the 77.
“It’s the same electric motor with the 170kW e-boost but with less mass so it is a bit quicker 0-100 and will have performance benefits.
“But I think it will also start to then speak to people getting used to EVs and different applications of EVs.
“With the 58 it might be more skewed towards someone looking for a second vehicle in the household and less likely to take it on a long road trip.”
The addition of a cheaper Born would also make it more price competitive against the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4, with which it shares its fundamental rear-wheel drive MEB platform and powertrains.
The top-spec ID.4 currently comes in Europe with a 58kWh battery and 150kW e-motor.
The ID.4 is not expected to arrive in Australia until it is facelifted in 2024. Volkswagen Australia has promised it will undercut the 77kWh Born on pricing.
Watch out for our first local drive of an Aussie-spec Cupra Born from 7pm tonight.
Related: 2023 Cupra Born EV pricing announced
Related: Cupra ICE age nearing its end
Related: Volkswagen to sell more EVs than ICE vehicles in Australia within five years
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