The latest from Seat is yet to arrive, set to debut towards the end of this decade. Marcus Gossen, head of the Spanish brand’s British branch, confirmed this to the English press. “We are working hard to have the right entry-level for the group (Volkswagen),” stated the manager to Autocar, hinting that Seat’s next creation from Martorell might be a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) with a more competitive price than Volkswagen’s ID.1.
This move is strategic as the German automaker is gearing up to aggressively enter the zero-emission market with the ID.1, priced at around 20,000 euros or 147.149 DKK.
A New Gateway
The news signifies that Seat is not backing down from production, at least not in the near future. Speculations about the brand’s future circulated until confirmations arrived regarding plans to transform Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo into a brand focused on urban mobility solutions such as electric scooters, quadricycles, and car-sharing, rather than passenger car development and sales.
This shift was not only influenced by Volkswagen’s vast industrial group but also by the emergence of Cupra as the leading brand for the Iberian branch of the manufacturer. “Seat’s future is Cupra,” declared Thomas Schäfer, who oversees both Spanish brands along with Skoda, during the Munich Motor Show. He further mentioned Seat’s transformation into a “ticket to the Volkswagen world,” indicating a strategic evolution.
Gossen now sheds more light on Seat’s future, suggesting a new model in five years. While it’s not explicitly specified as an electric vehicle, considering Seat’s role as Volkswagen’s entry-level brand and the company’s push towards democratizing electric vehicles, it’s reasonable to anticipate an electrified project. Volkswagen plans to introduce new BEVs with prices starting from 25,000 to even 20,000 euros (186.433-149.147 DKK) by the end of this decade.
A Shared Endeavor
Cupra will lead with the Raval, a “cousin” of Volkswagen’s ID.2 and Skoda’s upcoming crossover. Leveraging a simplified version of the Meb platform and utilizing next-generation batteries, Volkswagen aims to introduce affordable compact electric vehicles by mid-decade. Seat, on the other hand, will push further, offering an even cheaper city car priced below 20,000 euros.
This ambitious project aligns with Volkswagen’s strategy to provide an electric range with prices akin to current internal combustion counterparts. While the launch of a Volkswagen with these characteristics was already in the pipeline, the possibility of a similar Seat model emerges for the first time.
However, such a project requires time, as it necessitates synergies and cost structures to be economically sustainable. Additionally, a mature market capable of accommodating these vehicles in large volumes is imperative. Hence, the emergence of true “pop” electric vehicles will take a few more years.
