The Spanish brand has already shown that it can sell affordable electric cars. The reason why Seat does not invest in electric cars has nothing to do with the selling price. All eyes are on the Cupra brand.
One of the obvious unknowns and questions is why Seat gave up on electric cars? The brand’s reluctance to switch to top-level electrification has sparked much controversy, speculation and rumours, according to Klix.ba.
Seat is focusing on thermal SUS and hybrid cars, which is a road map that will have to be revised in the near future if the brand is to be avoided.
There is no doubt that sooner or later they will have to decide to switch to electric cars. Especially if we take into account the future into which the European authorities are leading us. The fact that a standard car has a “shelf life” in Europe is not a good thing for those companies that base their business on standard cars like Seat.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, openly stated in a recent interview that an electric Seat today would be too expensive to be commercially viable. The Spanish marque has faced a long list of rumors about the future of the company in recent years, especially with the unstoppable rise of the Cupra. The exceptional growth that the Cupra is experiencing in Europe has been decisive in making this young marque the preferred brand for the Volkswagen Group, especially considering the many problems the German car conglomerate is going through.
In this new paradigm where Seat and Cupra must learn to co-exist, it is clear that Seat’s role is to consolidate its new position as a company that produces conventional cars at an affordable price, while Cupra has priority when it comes to the development of battery vehicles. And it is here that the real reason why Seat keeps electric cars under “manual” is revealed. Cupra currently has priority and will continue to do so.
Seat already had an affordable electric car, which was relatively successful. It is, of course, about the small Mii Electric model in the A segment. The electric Seat Mii has arrived in European showrooms with the aim of becoming one of the most affordable electric cars.
In its top version, with almost all available options, it had a retail price below 22,500 euros without promotions, discounts or government assistance. And just as importantly, it had reliable performance for everyday use. With a lithium-ion battery of 32.3 kWh (net capacity) and an engine of 83 hp, the Mii had a range of almost 260 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle.
Mii electric deliveries began in the first months of 2020. Unfortunately, it had a fleeting appearance on the market. Demand far exceeded the production capacity of the Volkswagen Group, which was forced to favor clones such as the Volkswagen e-up! and Škoda Citigo iV. Despite the fact that it was technically the same vehicle, Volkswagen and Skoda models were more popular in most EU markets.
However, sooner or later, Seat will have to include fully electric vehicles in its offer again. Although Seat was already expected to launch a cheap electric car on the market, unfortunately it will have to wait for some time. The Spaniards expect the green light the day the Cupra stops getting a lot of attention from the top of the Volkswagen Group.
Source: Klix.ba
Photo: Autoblog.rs Archive / Seat
Source: autoblog.rs
