SEAT-owned Cupra has fully unveiled its second all-electric vehicle and first electric SUV, the Tavascan. Following a preview last year, we now get to see the Cupra Tavascan in all its glory.
Adopting a SUV coupe body style, the Tavascan is essentially Cupra’s version of the Volkswagen ID.5, Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV, and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback. Like these models, it’s based on VW Group’s MEB platform, but it was designed and developed in Barcelona, Spain as an emotional and driving-oriented SUV.
Cupra’s first electric SUV is slightly longer, wider, and lower than the VW ID.5, measuring 182.8 inches (4,644 millimeters in length), 73.2 in (1,861 mm) in width, 62.9 in (1,597 mm) in height, with a wheelbase of 108.9 in (2,766 mm).
From a styling perspective, the Cupra Tavascan is derived directly from the Tavascan show car unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019, although its design has been toned down for production. The design language featured on the Tavascan will transfer to future electrified cars in Cupra’s lineup.
Highlights include the distinctive front end featuring striking matrix LED headlights with three-triangle eye signature, illuminated Cupra logo, and a massive lower grille, the athletic side profile with a black A-pillar and two creases that descend toward the front, and the rear end featuring high-set taillights united by a light strip, and a big diffuser.
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Inside, the Cupra Tavascan features a characterful central spine that supports the entire dashboard, slim air vents, a multifunction sports steering wheel, a 15-inch central touchscreen – the largest so far in a Cupra model – powered by a newly designed and developed Human Machine Interface (HMI), and standard sporty bucket seats.
The automaker says passenger space is optimized to provide “perfect comfort” both in the front and rear, with the Tavascan also offering smart storage options. The trunk offers 19 cubic feet (540 liters) of room, which is slightly more than the Q4 e-tron Sportback and slightly less than the Volkswagen ID.5 and Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV.
The Tavascan integrates the latest technologies compatible with Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, including powertrain, chassis, connectivity, safety, and convenience.
It will be available with two power outputs: 210 kilowatts (281 horsepower) and 402 pound-feet (545 Newton-meters) of torque for the Tavascan Endurance single-motor RWD variant and 250 kW (335 hp) and 500 lb-ft (679 Nm) for the dual-motor AWD model. Dubbed Tavascan VZ, the latter accelerates from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.6 seconds.
Both variants are powered by a 77-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack enabling a WLTP range of 342 miles (550 km) in the RWD model and 323 miles (520 km) in the AWD model. To increase efficiency, the Cupra Tavascan also comes with five different levels of energy recuperation and an optional heat pump.
When it comes to charging, the Tavascan can go from 10 to 80 percent SoC in under 30 minutes using a DC fast charger with at least 135kW. The battery is also said to add 62 miles of range in as little as 7 minutes.
As with its counterparts from Volkswagen, Skoda, and Audi, the Cupra Tavascan features a suite of onboard advanced assisted driving systems, including Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Assist, Connected Travel Assist, Emergency Assist, Side and Exit Assist, Exit Warning, Remote Park Assist, and more.
The Cupra Tavascan will be built at Volkswagen Group’s factory in Anhui, China, and will launch in 2024. Prices haven’t been announced yet.
