— we almost tripped over the Cupra Born, a European hot hatch. Cupra is part of SEAT, which is owned by Volkswagen. It was the first display as we walked through the entrance to the Indooroopilly, Brisbane, shopping centre Auto Mall. This European style display of luxury vehicles is a car lover’s wet dream.
So, of course we had to have a look. We used our usual plan of attack — Majella checked out the car’s exotic looks and interior design while I grilled the salesman for interesting tidbits. The Cupra Born sat in the front of the display in front of its petrol-powered cousins, the Formentor and the Leon. The Leon sells for AU$17,000 less than its electric partner. “But it’s not comparing apples with apples.
Customers are still concerned about range and ask questions about how to charge the car. The car comes with a type 2 to type 2 cable, but no granny charger. The manager shows prospective customers how to use PlugShare to plan their trips. This can also be used through the car’s driving screen and Siri. “Hey, Siri, where is the nearest charger?” SEAT has packed the batteries in blocks, so in case of a cell failure, only a section of the battery has to be replaced.
Hesitancy on the part of future owners is mainly based on range anxiety, not price. “These are people who can buy what they want.” The customer base seems to be made up of retirees and people who are concerned about the environment. The manager admitted that the slick ads on TV which we see every night are aimed at the young, but it is older people buying the car. Warning:
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