Cupra Brand to Launch Electric SUVs in the US

The Cupra brand from the Volkswagen Group is set to enter the US market by the end of the decade, starting with two electric SUVs.

The news was unveiled at Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths' 2023 financial results briefing earlier in the day.

Cupra began its journey as a performance sub-brand of Volkswagen Group's Spanish brand SEAT but was repositioned in 2018 as a standalone brand, offering a range of sporty and emotional vehicles with striking designs.

In recent years, it has been incorporating electric vehicles into its lineup and even established its own team in the Extreme E electric off-road racing series.

2021 Cupra Formentor

Cupra primarily operates in Europe but has already expanded to some international markets, including Mexico and other Latin American countries. For the US launch, Cupra will initially operate in select states on the East and West Coasts, as well as along the Sun Belt.

Griffiths confirmed at least two models, both of which will be EVs. One will be an electric version of the Formentor, a compact crossover related to the Volkswagen Tiguan. The electric Formentor is likely to be based on a next-generation design, as the current Formentor, which was Cupra's first standalone model, is already four years old. The other model confirmed by Griffiths will be a larger SUV built in North America.

He stated that Cupra vehicles will be offered in the US via a "new distribution model." This could refer to a subscription model or possibly direct sales that bypass franchised dealerships.

Last year, Cupra delivered 230,739 vehicles, setting a new record for the fledgling brand and marking a 50.9% increase over the previous year's results.