Cupra, the Spanish high-performance brand now owned by VW, has announced plans to launch its second electric car into the Australian market.
The new EV called the Cupra Tavascan will be the first fully electric SUV offered by the brand in the local market and Australia will be one of the first markets to see it on the road.
Coming in with two powertrain configurations that includes a rear-wheel-drive and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant:
- Cupra Tavascan Endurance RWD – 210 kW
- Cupra Tavascan VZ AWD – 250 kW
With these powertrains, a WLTP range of up to 534 km is on offer along with a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 5.5 seconds.
Pricing-wise, it’s expected to be above the market leader, the Tesla Model Y. In Europe, pricing of the Tascavan starts at around €56,210 which is nearly €10,000 above the Model Y RWD.
Cupra launched the Born electric hatchback at the end of 2022. At that time, the Born was the first EV in Australia with 500km of range with a price starting with a five in front of it – it started at $59,990 before on-roads.
Over the last 18 months, Cupra has sold over 1250 Born hatchbacks, making it one of the best-selling European hatches in the market.
According to the brand, the upcoming SUV will offer an all-new Sennheiser sound system which will offer an immersive audio experience.
The Tavascan is designed by the Cupra team in Barcelona while both variants will be built in China at a Volkswagen Group factory in Anhui.
The Tavascan is designed by the Cupra team in Barcelona while both variants will be built in China at a Volkswagen Group factory in Anhui.
“The Tavascan takes CUPRA’s BEV offer into the SUV segment with a vehicle that’s designed to be dramatic and emotional from the ground up,” said Ben Wilks, the head of Cupra Australia.
“With its progressive and emotional approach to the SUV coupe segment, head-turning exterior lighting, a uniquely-CUPRA interior, and an all-new immersive sound system from Sennheiser, the Tavascan elevates the all-electric SUV coupe to new heights.”
On the inside, the brand appears to have gone for a minimal look in-line with other new VW electric products seen in the European market.
Although full local specifications are yet to be announced, Tavascan’s local website shows that it’s offered in four colours. These include Tavascan Blue, Atacama Desert, White Silver and Basalt Grey.
Expression of interest in the new Tavascan is now open and the brand expects to have customer deliveries starting in late Q4, this year.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.