SEAT's relatively new standalone brand Cupra has introduced a closer-to-production version of last year's UrbanRebel concept. The premiere took place during a dedicated event dubbed "Unstoppable Impulse" in Terramar, Spain. Far less aggressive than the showcar from 2021, the petite EV has been toned down ahead of 2025 when the road-going model will be released. As you have probably heard by now, it'll spawn sister models from VW and Skoda.
Last year's hot hatch concept promised 335 hp of continuous power and a peak of 429 hp whereas the new UrbanRebel gets a more realistic 226 hp. It's enough electric punch for a sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.9 seconds while the battery pack has juice for a maximum of 273 miles (440 kilometers) for the long-range version. It rides on the VW Group’s upcoming MEB Small platform tailored to front-wheel-drive EVs to replace the Mii Electric, Citigo-e iV, and the e-up!
2022 Cupra UrbanRebel concept
Designed and developed at home in Barcelona, the UrbanRebel is only 4.03 meters (158.6 inches) long. It’ll be assembled in Martorell from 2025 and will be a crucial model for Cupra’s plan to sell 500,000 cars annually. That would be a massive jump considering fewer than 200,000 vehicles have been delivered so far since the brand was established back in 2018.
The car is certainly a looker and Cupra says the revised concept came to life after combining 3D printed and 3D knitted manufacturing processes. This sounds expensive for an entry-level EV, so don’t expect the subsequent production version to look as fancy. Nevertheless, the 2022 version of the UrbanRebel makes us believe the road car will be a huge step up from the bland Mii Electric.
These three new affordable EVs from the VW Group will cost as low as €20,000 once they'll all be out by the middle of the decade. The core brand VW is fully redesigning the ID. Life concept from 2021 while Skoda has only released a design sketch showing the crossover-esque side profile of its entry-level electric car.
Note: Attached below are images of last year's concept.
