Cupra unveils plug-in onslaught, including hatch concept

Cupra, the performance arm of Volkswagen Group company Seat, has unveiled a trio of plug-in vehicles overnight. This it says will form its ‘e-HYBRID’ range.

The three new models are the Tavascan, Terramar, and UrbanRebel; a fully electric compact crossover, a larger plug-in hybrid SUV, and a concept five-door hatchback.

Those who have followed Cupra’s electric journey will be familiar with the UrbanRebel name. It debuted last year, attached to a wild, winged hot hatchback concept. The more mild looking concept gives us a more accurate taste of what it will look like when it goes into production in 2025.

It sheds the comprehensive aerodynamic package and some of the power output. Cupra says that the model is based on the same Volkswagen Group MEB platform as the brand’s first electric car, the Born, and its VW ID.3 cousin. Range is rated at a credible 440km.

Power comes via a single electric motor, is rated at 166kW, and gets sent exclusively to the front wheels. Cupra says the model will be able to hit 100km/h in 6.9 seconds, achieving this in part thanks to the brand’s focus on lightness.

“This is the model that will democratize urban electric mobility,” says Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths.

“We prove that electric cars don’t have to be boring. This will be the next generation’s entry into our range. […] This will be the next generation’s entry into our range,” said Griffiths. “Emotional, sexy, and fun to drive and at the same time accessible.”

Beating the UrbanRebel to market is the Tavascan. It’s set to debut in Europe in 2024 as Cupra’s first fully electric SUV. For those comparing the model across the Volkswagen cinematic universe, it is effectively the platform equivalent to ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq iV.

First shown off as a concept in 2019, the production version loses some of the slick ‘surfacing’ of its predecessor (and the light-up badge mounted in the front bumper) but retains most of its remaining design elements.

The Tavascan’s specs are yet to be confirmed, although it’s expected that they will echo those of the ID.4 GTX. It’s subsequently rumoured that it will come equipped with a 77kWh battery, all-wheel drive, 220kW, and a range approaching 500km.

The Terramar, meanwhile, is said to be Cupra’s last internal combustion-assisted model before it goes fully electric across its full line-up. It will be available with either a hybrid powertrain or a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Both will launch in Europe in 2024.

While once again the brand hasn’t delved too deep into specifications, the PHEV variant is said to have approximately 100km of electric range. That’s an impressive figure for a vehicle that’s similar in dimensions to the Audi Q3.

“Our new sporty hybrid SUV perfectly combines bold proportions with a long striking bonnet, while the shark nose means breakthrough resistance and the determination to win,” says Cupra design director Jorge Diez.

“Thinking of how the driver will feel, we provide a unique experience with the latest technology, thanks to the driver-oriented interior concept.”

A New Zealand launch for all three models has yet to be confirmed. The brand’s first EV, the Cupra Born, is due to arrive in the second half of 2023.