2021 Cupra el-Born Revealed As VW Group’s Sportiest Electric Hatchback Yet

The SEAT el-Born is dead, long live the Cupra el-Born. Seat’s version of the VW ID.3 will become officially available with Cupra badges, at least for the time being.

Seat’s standalone performance brand will become the first to offer an electric hot hatch within the VW Group once the Cupra el-Born goes on sale in 2021. The company didn’t reveal the full technical specs of the MEB-based EV hatch, only saying that it’s powered by a 77 kWh battery pack and an electric motor of unspecified horsepower driving the rear wheels.

Thanks to the big battery, the driving range is estimated at 310 miles (500 km). Fast-charging compatibility means that the Spanish EV requires just 30 minutes of charging for 160 miles (260 km) of range.

Cupra says that the el-Born will do 0-31 mph (50 km/h) in 2.9 seconds, but it doesn’t reveal the 0-62 mph time just yet. However, the carmaker adds that its first electric vehicle will feature an exclusively developed Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (DCC Sport) to offer a “superior level of driving dynamics”.

The general shape of the new Cupra el-Born is understandably similar to that of the VW ID.3, but the Spanish model features a more aggressive front end, deeper side sills, new wheels, and its own unique styling touches that include bronze detailing inside and outside.

The interior is also similar to that of the electric VW, only here it features a new raised center console, a new steering wheel with Drive Profile Selection and Cupra mode buttons, sporty bucket seats, and a different material selection.

“The Cupra el-Born displays all the genes of the Cupra brand and we have taken the original concept to the next level creating a new sporty and dynamic design and reengineering the technological content,” said Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths. “The Cupra el-Born is the living proof that performance and electrification are a great match.”

Cupra’s new electric model will be manufactured at VW’s Zwickau factory alongside the ID.3 and will be launched in the European market in 2021.