This camouflaged Cupra hides Volkswagen’s electric future
- Published on 28/11/2025 16:38
Cupra announces the Raval, a sporty city car that marks the revival of small European electric vehicles.
With the Raval, Cupra is clearly taking the lead in a decisive battle for the Volkswagen Group: that of affordable small electric cars. After consolidating its offering in family and premium segments, the German giant is preparing to make a strong comeback in more accessible categories with a series of four models planned for 2026. The first wave will come from Spain, produced in Martorell, and it carries a name that evokes the lively streets of Barcelona.
Unlike most current electric city cars, the Cupra Raval does not only focus on compactness or efficiency. The brand has chosen to make it a model with a distinctly sporty temperament. Its technical base, the all-new MEB+ platform in front-wheel-drive configuration, supports thorough work on dynamics: lowered chassis, adaptive damping, sharpened steering, and fully electronic braking to improve pedal precision. These are elements that are rarely seen at this price level.
Cheeky little Iberian
From its entry-level version, the Raval boasts an impressive performance level: 210 hp from a single motor and a next-generation LFP battery that promises up to 450 km of range. The equipment is modern and upscale, featuring Matrix LED headlights, enhanced driver assistance systems, and an audio system developed with Sennheiser.
For those who seek a more radical experience, Cupra will offer a VZ variant. With 226 hp, 290 Nm, wider tracks, bucket seats, and 19-inch wheels, this version immediately positions itself against emerging electric sports cars like the Alpine A290 or the Mini Cooper JCW. Despite this very dynamic orientation, the range remains remarkable for the category, around 400 km WLTP.
The final design remains largely concealed, but prototypes hint at taut lines and a very pronounced lighting signature. The interior has not yet been shown, proving that Cupra wants to control the element of surprise until the launch.
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Announced at around €26,000, produced in Spain, and potentially eligible for the ecological bonus, the Raval will serve as a foundational model for a whole new generation of compact electric cars at Volkswagen. It will be closely followed by the Volkswagen ID. Polo, then by two urban SUVs, before the arrival of a competitor to the electric Renault Twingo priced around €20,000 in 2027. An ambitious program, of which the Raval provides a first glimpse today, proudly sporty and resolutely European.
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This page is translated from the original post "Cette Cupra camouflée cache l’avenir électrique de Volkswagen" in French.
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