Volkswagen Group’s Seat/Cupra duo reports total global car sales of 125,200 units during the first quarter of 2023 (up 37 percent year-over-year). It’s a positive sign of rebound, although the recent result is still way lower than a few years ago (over 151,000 in Q1 2019).
All-electric car sales of the two Spanish brands amounted to 9,200 units, which is over four times more than a year ago (up 318 percent). BEV sales represented about 7.3 percent of the total volume, compared to just 2.4 percent a year ago.
This outstanding growth rate is of course a result of a low base, but it seems that things are moving in the right direction since the launch of the Cupra Born (currently the only all-electric model in the Seat/Cupra lineup).
Cupra Born sales of 9,200 units are not bad compared to its MEB-based cousin, the Volkswagen ID.3, which noted 23,600 units in Q1. Both models are produced in the same plant in Zwickau, Germany).
The sales data for previous years includes the Seat Mii Electric (Volkswagen e-up! counterpart), which is no longer available.
For reference, in 2022, Seat/Cupra electric car sales amounted to 31,400 units (up 140 percent year-over-year), which was 8.1 percent of the total volume.
Unfortunately, the group does not report plug-in hybrid car sales, but we guess that it would be a substantial volume.
Combined sales of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born were 32,800, which suggests that this year well over 100,000 will be sold globally.
Meanwhile, Cupra is introducing its second all-electric model, the Tavascan crossover/SUV, which is an MEB-based cousin of the Volkswagen ID.5, Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe, and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback. It will be produced in China, by Volkswagen Anhui joint venture (formerly known as JAC Volkswagen) and exported to Europe in 2024.
Time will tell how successful such an approach will be, as the other three cousins are produced locally in Germany or in the Czech Republic.
