Future Seat Cupra Models Could Go Electric To Attract Younger Buyers, Because Gadgets

Future Seat Cupra models could be hybrid or even fully electric, if the firm’s UK managing director gets his way.

Richard Harrison, top dog at Seat UK, is pushing the idea of electrified Cupra models, according to an interview with Autocar. The firm’s global boss, Luca de Meo, is a known supporter of any idea that makes more of the Cupra brand, so the principle has legs. Harrison is quoted as saying:

“There are no fully formed plans yet, but I’d be keen to explore the different opportunities between hybrid and full electric. If we did it, we’d pick one or two vehicles and do them properly; Cupra isn’t a badge to put on everything.”

We can also add him to the growing list of automotive execs who publicly praise Tesla for what it has done to the industry. Doing electrification properly, as per Tesla, is seen within Seat as the best way to win younger buyers’ business. He continued:

“If we did it, we’d need to have the debate on whether to go into motorsport to prove the quality of our products, or to let the quality of the products speak for themselves. Tesla has come from nothing to something with no (prior) heritage, so it is possible.

“But if we chose the former option, it would be another opportunity to do things a little differently again; there are different types of motorsport now, and it doesn’t have to be about Nurburgring lap records. There are exciting, shareable goals that could capture the imagination of a younger generation of buyers that could prove interesting.”

As Autocar itself points out, there is a bit of a trend developing. Polestar is going all-out as a performance hybrid maker, Audi is on course to electrify every model in its range (eventually), Renault is working on a performance Zoe and now Seat wants to go part-electric with Cupra. The change is real, and it’s happening today.

Via: Autocar