SEAT will emulate Dacia’s strategy in its commitment to the electric car. The Volkswagen Group brand will end up incorporating electric models into its range. However, in due time. The key is to reduce the cost of technology and, more specifically, of batteries.
SEAT has been a step behind in relation to the rest of the car brands that make up the Volkswagen Group in terms of its commitment to electric mobility. The SEAT Mii electric was nothing more than a small contact with electrification at its highest level. And despite the commercial success it achieved, the limited production capacity relegated it to a second or third place.
At this time, SEAT’s commitment to electrification is exclusively through 48-volt mild hybrid engines (MHEV) and plug-in hybrid variants (PHEV) that we can find in the range of some of its models. Wayne Griffiths, CEO of SEAT, has made it clear more than once that CUPRA has priority over SEAT when betting on the electric car.
SEAT is waiting for the cost reduction of the electric car
It is undeniable that sooner or later SEAT will have to bet on electric mobility. To some extent, SEAT is in a situation similar to Dacia. Both will continue to market thermal cars for as long as possible, however, and to stay alive in Europe, it is undeniable that they will have to get on the electrification bandwagon.
Within the framework of the recent event held by CUPRA in which numerous innovations were presented, the vast majority of which were electrified, with a view to 2025, a senior official from SEAT analyzed the current situation of the company in terms of the roadmap that will be established to re-incorporate electric models to its range.
Werner Tietz, Head of R&D at SEAT, assured the following: “The León is the completely new car and we have just updated the Ibiza and the Arona. Now is the time for CUPRA and also to electrify CUPRA. For now, electrification is still a bit expensive. We believe that we have to concentrate on electrifying CUPRA, and when component prices dropthen we can discuss and consider talking about SEAT again».
Video test of the SEAT Mii electric
SEAT opens the door to the electric car, but not at any price
Groupe Renault is following a similar strategy with Dacia. It is true that the low-cost firm has a fully electric model in its portfolio, the Dacia Spring. However, this vehicle is the result of the developments carried out by Renault itself for emerging markets. Dacia, like SEAT, is committed at the highest level to the internal combustion vehicle.
These comments made by Tietz show that SEAT has not given up on the electric car. However, the necessary conditions to bet on this technology do not currently exist. Let us remember that in the short term SEAT will play the role of manufacturer of the new small electric cars of the Volkswagen Group. Some models that will be produced in Martorell and will reach the market in 2025.
On the other hand, Tietz once again made it clear that SEAT will not disappear and will coexist with CUPRA. Both brands, according to the senior official, are aimed at different audiences: «We have a very small overlap of 10-15% between SEAT and CUPRA. The rest are really new customers. CUPRA customers are completely different”.
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