Image Credit: Cupra
The Cupra Born electric car has already sold more than 1,000 units in Australia since sales began in early-2023, and the Volkswagen Group marque is celebrating the milestone by announcing the Born VZ “hot hatch” will land in Australia in early 2025.
Launched in 2021, the Cupra Born has maintained high expectations, with a “relatively affordable” price on a car that nevertheless comes with an 77kWh battery pack and range of up to 511km (WLTP).
With a starting price of $59,990 (before on-road costs), the Born falls under the threshold for remaining state EV rebates but is still priced well above the cheapest EVs such as the MG4, BYD Dolphin, and GWM Ora.
The Cupra marque is a subsidiary of Spanish carmaker SEAT, which is itself part of the Volkswagen Group, and when the Born landed in Australia in early 2023 it was the first car based on the Group’s Modular Electric Drive matrix (MEB) platform.
Less than a year on from the first deliveries, the Cupra Born has passed 1,000 sales in Australia, a demonstration of the escalating demand for electric vehicles in a country that was once off-limits to many EV manufacturers.
“Cupra is a growing brand with no ambition to be a volume player – loved by a few rather than liked by many is our mantra,” said Ben Wilks, director of Cupra Australia.
“Cupra’s journey in this country to date proves that Australians have a taste for the new and the progressive, especially in the form of a brand that emphasises design and driving dynamics.”
Marking the milestone, Cupra has announced that it will be bringing the Born VZ “hot hatchback” to Australia in early 2025.
The Cupra Born VZ – with the ‘VZ’ referring to “veloz”, or “speed” in Spanish – builds on its tamer sibling with increased performance, generating 240kW of power and 545Nm of torque, with acceleration from 0-100km/h of 5.7 seconds.
A sporty interior, improved driving dynamics, and a handful of exterior upgrades finish out the VZ variant.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.
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