Cupra Born hatchback - Range, charging & running costs
All Cupra Born models manage at least 250 miles of range, and should be cheaper to run than petrol Cupras
The Cupra Born is a little bit more expensive than the like-for-like Volkswagen ID.3, but the Born V1 is predicted to retain more of its value than an ID.3 Life so you may well find that the Cupra comes out cheaper on a monthly PCP finance deal. At the time of writing, however, the ID.3 is cheaper on a PCH (lease) deal. Given that the two are quite similar, we would get finance quotes for both, and look out for deposit contributions and deals.
How far the Born can travel between charges depends on the exact model, as two different battery sizes are available. No model comes with a small battery, though; even the base Born gets a longer range than the highest-range Nissan Leaf.
Cupra Born range & charging
The 58kWh (usable) battery offers a range of up to 260 miles, while the range-topping 77kWh battery can officially get the Born close to 340 miles, making it ideal for higher mileage drivers. In comparison, the cheapest Tesla Model 3 can manage 304 miles (374 miles for the Long Range), while the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric offers up to 292 miles.
Fitted with a 77kWh battery, the Born supports 135kW rapid DC charging, making it possible to add 62 miles of range in just seven minutes. A charge from 0-80% takes around 35 minutes. The 58kWh version gets 120kW charging but charging times are similar thanks to its smaller capacity. A full charge from an 11kW wallbox takes just over six hours for the smaller battery and seven-and-a-half hours for the larger one; expect charging to take longer if you only have a 7kW wallbox at home.
Like all electric cars, the Born is exempt from VED (road tax) and will appeal to business users thanks to its very low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band, especially when compared with petrol and diesel models. In fact, the Born in cheapest V1 trim will cost between £10 and £15 per month in tax for a 20% taxpayer.
Insurance groups
The Cupra Born starts in group 25 out of 50 for insurance, while e-Boost versions occupy groups 26 or 28. That shouldn’t mean your premiums are sky-high (the ID.3 Life is in a similar group 23) but we’d always recommend getting an insurance quote before agreeing to buy the car.
Warranty
Like other Volkswagen Group products, the Cupra Born comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. That’ll be ideal for drivers on a three-year finance deal, but it looks a bit stingy compared to the seven years and ten years of cover you can get from Hyundai and Toyota respectively.
Servicing
Cupra offers a service plan designed to take the sting out of scheduled maintenance. Your dealer will be able to advise you on prices, but the Born should be relatively inexpensive to maintain because it has fewer moving parts than a petrol car.