Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Munich Auto Show
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Technology
    • Segment Analysis
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: All or nothing: Why circular business models require a holistic approach
    • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
    • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
    • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
    • PUBLICIS SAPIENT: The power of post-purchase: How automakers can maximize customer lifetime value
    • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
    • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Focus on Electrification
May 12, 2022 12:00 AM

Cupra Born provides sportiness but range anxiety remains

The spike in electricity prices hasn’t driven up the cost of public EV charging -- yet.

Andrea Malan
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Cupra Born charging in Italy at a highway location
    Andrea Malan

    The price per km of a fast charge on the highway in Italy is currently higher than the cost of gasoline, based on a recent test drive of the Cupra Born.

    The Cupra Born helped me answer a key question: Could a full-electric compact hatchback become my one and only car? After a 600 km (373 miles) test drive the answer is: probably not.

    The Cupra Born, the first battery-electric car from the Volkswagen Group subsidiary, uses the company’s MEB platform. Other cars on the platform are the VW ID3 hatchback and ID4 crossover, Skoda Enyaq iV and Audi Q4 e-tron.

    The Born has a sportier look than its siblings and special features such as an e-Boost that increases the maximum power output to 228 hp from 201 hp for 30 seconds at a time, which helps it top the ID3's 201 hp.

    The Born also has dynamic chassis control as an option to improve handling. The driver can modify the response of the acceleration, steering and suspension through five driving modes that include Range (to save energy) and the sportiest option, called Cupra.

    The version I drove was equipped with a 58-kilowatt-hour battery that Cupra says has a WLTP consumption of 15.4 kWh per 100 km and a 420-km range. The Born is also available with a 77-kWh battery, with a 548-km range.

    The Cupra Born offers a very pleasant drive, with good acceleration -- 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 7.3 seconds -- and agile handling, although the suspension felt a bit stiff on bumpy country roads.

    FOCUS ON ELECTRIFICATION NEWSLETTER: A monthly wrap-up of the latest electric vehicle news, including interviews and global EV sales data, delivered to your inbox.

    Reality check

    One thing we always want to confirm during these tests is whether the WLTP consumption figures match results from real-life driving.

    Driving under optimal weather conditions of sunny and 20 degrees Celsius, my highway consumption varied from 18 kWh/100 km at 110 kph to 21 kWh/100 km at 130 kph, the maximum speed permitted on Italian motorways.

    Consumption on country roads, with moderate traffic and speeds of 50 to 90 kph, averaged 14.4 kWh/100 km.

    A one-hour test in the city, where regenerative braking is used the most, required 12.5 kWh/100 km. That figure yielded a 460 km range on a full charge, much less than the 596 km city range touted on Cupra technical documents.

    The 420 km WLTP range of the Cupra Born I drove corresponds to a 300 km to 350 km range at highway speeds. On paper this would allow a person to travel from Milan to Rome with just one recharging stop, provided that: a high-speed highway charger can be found and that it is not already occupied.

    Not-that-fast charging

    Highway charging is actually still one of the weakest points of Italy’s EV infrastructure. Fast chargers are rare and far away from one another, forcing drivers to exit the highway to find suitable alternatives.

    Autostrade per l’Italia, Italy’s largest toll highway operator, recently started to roll out 300-kilowatt chargers, with plans to add them to 100 fuel stations. So far, however, fewer than a dozen have been installed.

    I tested one of these chargers near Modena, 150 km southeast of Milan. When I arrived the Born’s 58-kWh battery was still one-third full.

    The car’s on-board DC charger accepts up to 100 kWh, but I was limited to a much slower average of 40 kWh, despite being the only one using one of the four available chargers. One of the likely reasons was that the battery was not empty. High-speed chargers progressively slow down as the battery charge increases.

    I received a little less than 20 kW in 25 minutes. That boosted the battery’s charge to 67 percent, good enough to cover 242 km.

    If wanted to fill the battery it would have taken at least an hour, leaving plenty of time for a lunch break when all I wanted was a quick coffee and a restroom stop.

    My test included a stop at another DC charger in Milan that offered up to 50 kW. My refill was performed at an average of 46 kWh, which was a surprise to me. Perhaps it was because the Born’s battery was nearly empty when the charge started.

    A couple of top-ups of the battery at AC chargers went smoothly at the maximum 11 kW allowed by the on-board charger. Using a home charger that offers 6 kWh, the most allowed in Italian households, means that charging from 20 to 80 percent would take six hours.

    The recent spike in electricity prices hasn’t driven up the cost of public EV charges -- yet.

    The two DC recharges cost €0.68 per kilowatt, while I paid €0.45/kW for the slower AC charges. This was a much better experience than what I had happen earlier this year.

    At 5.5 kilometers per kW for highway driving at 110 kph, the price per kilometer of a fast charge is higher than the cost of gasoline in Italy.

    Electric driving is a viable proposition only if you can charge at home most of the time, despite the price of electricity for Italian households doubling in the last year.

    Andrea Malan

    Driving electric is perfectly viable for commuters who can recharge at home, but still requires careful planning for longer trips.

    The range conundrum

    Outside temperatures significantly above or below the 20 degrees Celsius I enjoyed would reduce the battery range.

    Another warning to heed comes from the owner’s manual (and is becoming common knowledge to EV users): Do not recharge beyond 80 percent of battery capacity during long trips because this can shorten the battery’s life. This means even shorter driving ranges.

    Starting from an 80 percent charge and driving the battery down to just 10 percent capacity leaves a 70 percent usable range, that translates into 40 kWh in the Cupra Born, enough for 200 to 240 km.

    This would suffice for relatively short day trips, but even a relatively short (150 km) Milan-to-Turin journey requires a recharge stop before heading home. A one-way trip from Milan to Rome would require two recharge stops.

    Driving electric is perfectly viable for commuters who can recharge at home, but still requires careful planning for longer trips.

    Car buyers interested in a compact family car might want to go for the long-range version, such as the Cupra Born with a 77-kWh battery. Keep in mind, that range comes at a price premium of more than 5,000 euros.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    VW's China JV with SAIC transforms Shanghai plant for EV production
    Recommended for You
    VW logos lit up
    VW's China JV with SAIC transforms Shanghai plant for EV production
    Porsche 911 Green
    E-fuels offer new life for combustion engines, but at what cost?
    Ferrari horse web_5_4.jpg
    Ferrari does not need to buy other supercar makers, CEO says
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Munich Auto Show
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Technology
      • Segment Analysis
      • Cars & Concepts
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress
      • ANE Rising Stars
      • ANE Eurostars
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: All or nothing: Why circular business models require a holistic approach
        • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
        • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
        • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
        • PUBLICIS SAPIENT: The power of post-purchase: How automakers can maximize customer lifetime value
        • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
        • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us