Cupra has revealed the name of its upcoming affordable compact electric car, and it's the Raval.
Production version of the UrbanRebel
Named after a district of Barcelona (a historic bit that used to be within the old city walls), the Raval will be the production version of the 'UrbanRebel' concept. It's a compact crossover, almost a hatchback, which is expected to be based on the same mechanical package as the production version of the Volkswagen ID. 2all.
"The Raval is one of the most surprising parts of Barcelona. And today, we are proud that the brand's future urban electric car will have its name and represent its spirit. Just as we did with the Cupra Born, we now want to express the essence of the Raval and continue to inspire the world from Barcelona," explained Wayne Griffiths, Cupra's chief executive. "The Cupra Raval is not just another car. It is an invitation to a new generation, which expects something better. An urban, rebellious and 100 per cent electric car, with its own character and linked to 'Gen Z'. Something that's more emotional."
Built alongside Volkswagen and Skoda versions
The Raval will be built at SEAT and Cupra's home factory in Martorell, just outside Barcelona, alongside the an electric Volkswagen and the upcoming compact Skoda EV built using the same package. Expect a one-charge range of around 420km, and a compact exterior (four metres long or thereabouts) with the interior space of a much larger car.
The Volkswagen Group will invest €3 billion in updating and refitting Martorell for the new cars, and Cupra can afford to do that - the brand has just had its most successful start to a year yet. SEAT has registered a record operating profit of €144 million, an improvement of €139 million compared to the first quarter of the previous year, and a turnover of €3.6 billion, which represents a 48 per cent increase in comparison to the first three months of 2022. Griffiths said that these historic figures are thanks to Cupra, which is pushing the growth of the company's financial results. Indeed, Cupra is growing so fast that there are rumours that SEAT will cease to be as a car brand by 2030, and will instead concentrate on urban mobility provision - scooters and ultra-compact EVs similar to the Citroen Ami - instead.
Cupra has notched up 300,000 sales
Since its launch in 2018, Cupra has sold more than 300,000 cars, exceeding all expectations. In 2022, the brand reached €4.4 billion in turnover, 40 per cent of SEAT's total, becoming one of the fastest growing brands in Europe and Spain. This year's figures are also positive, with 46,600 units sold during the first quarter of 2023, 83 per cent more than in the same period in 2022.
The naming of the new EV is about more than just pinching a recognisable name from Barcelona's history. Griffiths said that Cupra will use the opportunity to "Be a driving force for change in the neighbourhood. For this reason, we are already talking with institutions and organisations in the Raval to promote actions that will help young people."
The reveal of the Raval comes hot on the heels of the launch of the new Tavascan all-electric SUV in Berlin, and Cupra's dabbling in the online 'Meta-space' with the launch of its DarkRebel digital-only car, which 100,000 users have already configured in the 'Hyper Configurator.' "The Dark Rebel is the ultimate interpretation of Cupra's design for the future. With the DarkRebel, we want to show that the electric cars of the future can be sexy and provocative," said Jorge Diez, Head of Design at Cupra.
"It's a dream come true that started four years ago at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show and was finally unveiled a few days ago at our Exponential Impulse event. The Cupra Tavascan is a new hero for a new era, dreamed, designed and developed in Barcelona," said Griffiths.