Spanish car maker SEAT has made public its electric strategy, which will see it develop six electric and plug-in hybrid models and develop a new platform for electric vehicles.
The electric version of the Mii and el-Born will be the brand’s first two fully electric models, while the new generation Leon and the Tarraco will feature a plug-in hybrid version.
Furthermore, the Cupra Leon and the Cupra Formentor will also have a plug-in hybrid variant. SEAT president Luca de Meo also announced that the Cupra Formentor, the new CUV (crossover utility vehicle) that was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, will be built at the Martorell factory.
For the first time in its history, SEAT will develop a new vehicle platform in collaboration with the Volkswagen brand, a smaller version of the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB) on which multiple vehicles will be made. More than 300 highly skilled engineers will be take part in the project in Spain.
Volkswagen CEO Dr Herbert Diess said, “SEAT is a successful and important player again based on close cooperation and synergies as well as joint technology and product development within the Group.
“The small electric platform is a great illustration for this. It enables us to realize the first electric vehicle that is especially designed for urban journeys available for less than €20,000 (US$22,380).That is democratizing sustainable mobility.”
The electric mobility initiative also encompasses a micromobility strategy which the company will lead for the Volkswagen Group. The recently unveiled Minimó concept car and the electric SEAT eXS kickscooter are two examples of urban micromobility solutions put forward by the company.
SEAT also plans to create a software development center that will help it gain a competitive edge. The Metropolis:Lab Barcelona will be integrated in the new center, to continue to develop innovative solutions for better mobility. Other independent SEAT companies, such as Xmoba, will also operate out of this new center.