Features
8 Sep 21

CUPRA showcases UrbanRebel concept and presents future electric vision

The IAA International Motor Show in Munich provided the platform for CUPRA to showcase its newest concept car, the UrbanRebel. The car also made its first public appearance at the pre-opening of the brand’s City Garage in Munich.

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At the event, CUPRA CEO Wayne Griffiths reiterated the brand’s electric aspirations: “We have the ambition to become a fully electric brand by 2030. We are launching the CUPRA Born this year and the CUPRA Tavascan will arrive in 2024. The CUPRA UrbanRebel challenges the conventions, bringing emotions to the new electric era with a radical interpretation of the company’s urban electric car, due to arrive to the market in 2025. We will be launching it first as a CUPRA, and we will monitor closely the acceptance of electric cars by the customers’ and the roll-out of infrastructure in Europe”.

Radicalising the urban electric car

The UrbanRebel is what the company describes as an “urban electric car” or “city electric” concept but it also paves the way for a road version.

SEAT S.A. and the Volkswagen Group are behind the project. SEAT S.A. is developing the cars, while Volkswagen handles the platform and CARIAD the software. The ambition is to produce more than 500,000 vehicles per year in Spain for different Group brands from 2025 onwards.

Since its launch three years ago, CUPRA has sold over 100,000 units, two thirds of which were the Formentor model. The brand has established a strong footprint in Europe, particularly Germany, Spain, the UK, Italy and France and has expanded overseas to Mexico, Israel and Turkey.

A city centre retail space for CUPRA

Additionally, CUPRA has chosen Munich in which to open its newest City Garage. Located in the Odeonsplatz in the heart of the city, it provides a retail space for the brand. City Garages are also planned for opening in Milan, Madrid, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Berlin and in Sydney, Australia in 2022. It’s also producing the CUPRA Born, its first all electric car at the Zwickau factory in Germany.

The UrbanRebel concept, which is the brand’s most radical idea of the urban electric car, is scheduled to launch in 2025.

Image, courtesy of Volkswagen: From left to right: Thomas Schmall, Chairman of the SEAT S.A. Board of Directors; Ricardo Martínez, Spanish ambassador in Germany; Wayne Griffiths, CUPRA CEO; Jorge Díez, CUPRA Design Director; Werner Tietz, Executive Vice-president for R&D.

Authored by: Alison Pittaway