In recent times we have witnessed a double standard on the part of car brands, which assure they will bet on a future hand in hand with electric cars while increasing their offer and sales of diesel and gasoline SUVs. But at least it seems that something is starting to change within brands like SEAT and Cupra, which are preparing for a significant transformation where the electric car and subscription services will become the trends to follow in the coming years.
This has been indicated by the boss of Cupra, Wayne Griffiths, who has put on the table a reality in which for brands to extract margin from compact electric cars is complicated, with the margin being in SUVs. An aspect that the Volkswagen group brand wants to change as soon as possible.
According to Mr. Griffiths: “I think the next big change within the volume sectors will be urban electric vehicles. But also that the Cupra brand offers an electric car also for urban use.”
From Cupra’s perspective, the challenge is convincing people that electric cars don’t just have to be rational. They can be very emotional and sporty, and they can show no contradiction between electrification and performance.
This could be interpreted as both brands seeking to take advantage of the technology available from their parent company and offer similar products for different customers. On the one hand, SEAT with a simple, functional, and cheaper urban, while Cupra could add some spice with more power and a more aggressive exterior appearance. In this way, they will take advantage of the economy of scale in motors and batteries to achieve the Holy Grail of getting money from urban models.
Cupra and SEAT aim to attract the next generation of drivers who will seek more flexible alternatives in their vehicle ownership. Options such as subscriptions will allow users to rent a vehicle for a specific period, for example, six months, and not be tied to a long-term contract.