The Cupra Tavascan is not your typical electric SUV. It's a sleek, sporty, and futuristic concept car that aims to challenge the conventions of the segment. The vehicle is the first fully electric model from Cupra, a performance-oriented sub-brand of Spanish automaker SEAT.
The Cupra Tavascan is named after a village in the Pyrenees mountains, reflecting its adventurous spirit and connection to nature. The vehicle combines a powerful electric drivetrain with a striking exterior design and a luxurious interior that features advanced technology and sustainable materials.
The design process behind the Cupra Tavascan
The Cupra Tavascan was designed by a team of 20 people at the SEAT Design Center in Martorell, Spain. The team was led by Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, who joined Cupra as its design director in 2018.
Mesonero-Romanos said that the design process behind the Cupra Tavascan was driven by a desire to create something different and unexpected in the electric SUV market.
"We wanted to make a statement with this car," he said in a press release. "We pushed to the limits without thinking about what people would say."
He explained that the team started with a blank sheet of paper and experimented with various shapes, proportions, and details until they found the right balance between elegance and dynamism.
The result is a vehicle with a low and wide stance, a muscular body, and a sculpted rear end. The front of the vehicle features a large grille that houses the Cupra logo and an illuminated "X" shape that accentuates its width. The headlights are slim and angular, giving the vehicle a sharp and aggressive look.
The side of the vehicle has a coupe-like silhouette, with a sloping roofline that merges with a prominent spoiler. The doors are frameless and open in opposite directions, creating a spacious entryway. The wheels are 22 inches in diameter and have aerodynamic inserts that reduce drag.
The rear of the vehicle has a distinctive light signature that spans across the entire width of the tailgate. The diffuser integrates four exhaust pipes that hint at its performance potential. The rear window is tinted and has a hexagonal pattern that adds texture and depth.
The performance and technology of the Cupra Tavascan
The Cupra Tavascan is powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, that deliver a combined output of 306 horsepower (225 kilowatts). The vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h).
The vehicle has a battery pack with a capacity of 77 kilowatt-hours, which provides an estimated range of 280 miles (450 kilometers) on a single charge. Using a fast-charging system, the battery can be recharged up to 80% in 30 minutes.
The vehicle also has an intelligent all-wheel-drive system that distributes torque between the front and rear wheels, depending on the driving conditions and mode. The vehicle has four driving modes: Range, Comfort, Individual, and Cupra.
The interior of the Cupra Tavascan is designed to offer comfort, functionality, and style. The cabin has four individual seats that are upholstered in vegan leather and have integrated speakers. The dashboard has a minimalist layout that features two large screens: a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and a 13-inch infotainment system on the center console.
The infotainment system has a touch-sensitive surface that allows users to control various functions such as navigation, entertainment, climate, and settings. The system also supports wireless smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
The vehicle also has an augmented reality head-up display that projects relevant information onto the windshield, such as speed, navigation directions, warnings, and alerts. The vehicle also has voice recognition technology that allows users to interact with the vehicle using natural language commands.
The vehicle also has a number of advanced driver assistance systems that enhance safety and convenience. These include adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, park assist, and a 360-degree camera.
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The future of the Cupra Tavascan
Mesonero-Romanos said that the vehicle clearly indicates the direction that Cupra wants to take in the electric SUV segment.
"We are very proud of this car because it shows our vision for the future of Cupra," he said. "It is a very close car to reality, and that could be on the roads in a few years."
He added that the feedback from the public and the media has been very positive and that the company is considering the possibility of bringing the Cupra Tavascan to the European market.
"We are studying the feasibility of this project, and we are listening to the opinions of our customers and fans," he said. "We want to make cars that people love and that make them feel something special."
The Cupra Tavascan is one of the several electric models that Cupra plans to launch in the coming years. The company already has an electric version of its Leon hatchback, called the Seat Leon e-Hybrid. It has a plug-in hybrid powertrain that delivers 242 horsepower (180 kilowatts) and an electric range of 37 miles (60 kilometers).
The company also has an electric crossover called the Cupra Born, which is based on the Volkswagen ID.3 platform and has a similar design to the Cupra Tavascan. The Cupra Born has a range of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers) on a single charge.
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The company also has a partnership with Extreme E, an off-road racing series that uses electric SUVs to compete in remote locations around the world. The company provides technical support and engineering expertise to the ABT CUPRA XE team, which races with a modified version of the Cupra Tavascan.
The Cupra Tavascan is a bold and innovative electric car showcasing the electric SUV design's potential. The vehicle combines performance, technology, and style to appeal to customers looking for something different and exciting in the market.
The vehicle also reflects the vision and ambition of Cupra, a young and dynamic brand that wants to challenge the status quo and create cars that connect emotionally with drivers.
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