Colder temperatures bring new issues when it comes to running an EV, reports Luke Wikner.

P11d (BiK) £38,335 (2%) Range 264 miles On-fleet range 270 miles  Efficiency 4.5mpkwh

Report 6:

The Born has proved itself in urban environments

With the recent and current cold spells – confirmed by already high energy bills nearly going off the charts – the Born has now accepted that cabin heat is a most necessary evil, and beating the official range is the preserve of April-November. On the plus side, like gas usage, this is seasonal and Born company car drivers will more than make up for this in the warmer months. Here’s hoping the slight but persistent squeak I’m getting from the head-up display screen is only evident when the mercury drops below zero too.

I’m also starting to realise that I may have become something of an EV bore. Not because I’ll tell anyone within hearing distance how good the Cupra is, but because I genuinely get asked the question a lot… and almost always by semi-initiated strangers, both male and female, looking at leasing an electric vehicle.

Spending a fair amount of time within London’s Congestion Charge zone, coupled with the recent proposed expansion of the ULEZ zone (likely coming soon to a city near you if it hasn’t already), there has never been more focus on vehicle emissions-awareness.

Granted, these issues will only affect pre-Euro 4 petrol models and some newer diesel models, so fleets in the main will be clear of such concerns, but it has definitely caused a perceptible shift towards EV acceptance.

And while cars like BMW’s impressive iX, despite all their camera wizardry, remain difficult to fit in narrow street parallel parking spaces, normal-sized hatchbacks have no such issues and are far more suited to a partly urban existence.

There is still something very satisfying about not contributing to city centre pollution and more than six months into Born stewardship, that novelty still hasn’t really worn off. The energy crisis has obviously had a knock-on effect on charging prices, but EVs still compare favourably.

As Fleet World colleagues have found, going back to a traditional ICE vehicle as company transport will take a little readjustment, much like the decisions facing many company car drivers who are questioning whether an EV is right for them. If my experience of over 7,000 miles is anything to go by, the vast majority will conclude that it is.

Our Cupra Born long-termer is still putting in a real-world range of around 270 miles

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I  pointed out in my last online update for the Born that winter is traditionally a time where EVs start to lose their range (and therefore a little of their appeal) but Cupra’s first fully electric vehicle is holding up well.

Sure, it hasn’t been that cold yet but I’m still seeing a real-world range of around 270 miles and it also continues to surprise me how much holding onto a heated steering wheel – which uses far less battery power than climate control heating – can fool the rest of your body that it’s actually warm.

Obviously, no heating is not so great for passengers – and the Cupra has had a few four-up trips of late, which have highlighted the useability and comfort of the cabin. It has also revealed a quirk of the touchscreen heating, which keeps defaulting to only turn on the fans on the driver’s side. I’m still yet to ascertain if this is a case of operator error.

Having passengers has also made me realise I have the driver’s seat set quite far back as a default, impinging upon rear legroom a little too much, but for the footprint of the car, interior space is entirely acceptable.

The Born’s suspension is, for the most part, very comfortable, although it can feel a little firm over increasingly frequent potholes and the like. Most would consider this is an acceptable trade-off for its driving dynamics.

Born never feels like a light car as such – more chunky, substantial and well-made. And those brilliant front seats have made every journey in 2022 a pleasure.

Report 4:

We think our 58kWh model is the best balance between cost and range

Winter is coming. Words that EV drivers have traditionally dreaded. Having previously driven a first-generation Nissan Leaf for a couple of months back in 2013, which had a maximum range of under 100 miles in the summer and around 60 miles on a chilly day in January, range anxiety was an ever-present concern. Add to this the sporadic nature of a nascent EV charging network, and there was a very real possibility you might have been stuck up flat-battery creek without a paddle.

Four months with the Cupra Born have enabled me to reflect on the progress that has been made over nearly a decade. Fleet World ran an Electric Vehicle Showcase as far back as 2011 and a preeminent conference speaker at the time, with far greater knowledge than anyone else in the room, proclaimed that we wouldn’t be seeing advances in battery technology to rival ICE vehicles for a long time, and any improvements in battery technology would be incremental. It’s fair to say that battery tech has advanced far beyond the 2011 best-guess scenario and the real beneficiaries are fleets and drivers.

The Cupra is still showing – when charged to 100% – a range of around 274 miles. I have actually been asked a couple of times recently whether I would opt for the 77kWh version, and this would certainly counteract any potential range drop-off concerns as the mercury heads south, but I still think the 58kWh model is the best balance. And of course, as we’ve mentioned before, extra range comes at extra cost, with the larger-battery model being comfortably over £40k.

For our Born, even if the range drops off by 25%, factoring in battery temperature, climate control, heated seats (which don’t seem to get as hot as they should unfortunately) and a heated steering wheel (lovely, and definitely gets very warm) all doing their thing, it’s still an entirely useable range for everyday driving. Also, compared to 2013, you can be fairly confident that there will be somewhere to charge up to get you to your destination, and the Born – like other EVs – is very good at helping you find those places. And is still brilliant.

The Cupra Born remains a rare and unsual sight on UK roads

Report 3:

As I said in my last update, our Aurora Blue Cupra Born was handily subbed (for two weeks) by a Vapor Grey e-Boost model in V2 trim and a worthwhile comparison it proved too.

In the case of both cars, they are still a rare and unsual sight on UK roads with, at the last count, around 25 people asking me “what is it?”. Sitting in the Born managed to convince one would-be Volkswagen ID.3 driver to change his next company car order – and this is surely Cupra’s plan of getting backsides on seats.

Colleagues have cited the Born’s heating and volume controls as being a little fiddly with no buttons and only sliders, but I think I’m used to them now. I also find the infotainment system clear and relatively intuitive, if not quite as responsive as Tesla’s offerings.

But then there isn’t a Tesla under £40k, nor is there one as relatively compact as the Born, which is similar in size to Kia’s impressive new 280-mile range Niro EV.

The Born’s efficiency has dipped a little in the last few weeks, due to several long motorway journeys knocking the mpkWh figure. However, it’s reassuring to see that BEVs capable of rapid charging can perform broadly the same role as ICE vehicles on the fleet, especially if rapid chargers are convenient for any planned route. And from an EV user-experience point of view, the charging infrastructure is improving noticeably by the month.

Cupra Born 58kWh e-Boost with our Aurora Blue Born long-termer

Report 2:

I mentioned in our last report about the Cupra Born’s software issue, and this prompted Cupra HQ to want to investigate the issue a little further. The downside of this… no Aurora Blue Born for a couple of weeks. The upside… a Vapor Grey Born 58kWh in V2 trim (one notch down from our existing V3 trim) with e-Boost and 230PS against 204PS, as its temporary replacement.

And an interesting comparison it proved too, principally because there is no better way to compare vehicles than driving them and living with them back-to-back and experiencing the subtle but noticeable differences.

V2 trim, for example, forgoes the all-singing, all-dancing massage seats with ‘Dinamica’ alcantara-type finish that we’re used to. Instead it opts for items that are no less comfortable and, we suspect, could prove more durable and easier to keep clean, especially if the vehicle is used as family transport. The V2 trim seats are actually made from Seaqual Yarn which is recycled fabric derived from marine plastic. They’re just as supportive as the V3 seats and prove easier to slide into and out of. They’re even heated too.

The e-Boost also offers a different steering wheel with satellite buttons for the Drive profile, alternating between Range, Comfort and Cupra… the latter of which when selected gives the Born e-Boost rapid acceleration. 0-62mph times don’t mean much in real terms but the e-Boost reduces the time from 7.3 seconds to 6.6 seconds and you do notice the extra performance and pick up in normal driving.

For most, however, the standard Born provides plenty of performance and, importantly, a great balance between performance, efficiency and range. The larger battery 77kWh option will add around 130kg of weight to the car, thus reducing the efficiency of each mile travelled. There’s no denying the benefits the extra range would provide a driver taking frequent longer journeys though.

I still stand by my comments about the Born being the best company car you can buy right now too. Living with one for nearly two months and 2,500 miles, about the only genuine criticisms I can level at Cupra’s first fully electric car are the not-so-great visibility around the A-pillar and the fact that you can feel the weight of the car under braking. The e-Boost version we tested seemed to have a slightly better modulated brake pedal, but it still might take a little getting used to for those unfamiliar with electric cars.

V2 Born variants also come as standard on attractive 19-inch “Typhoon” alloy wheels, compared to the 20-inch “Hurricane” wheels on the V3. We would probably opt for the smaller wheels, which is a another tick in the V2 column, even they didn’t make an appreciable difference to ride comfort.

Blue Born is back shortly, so normal service will resume, but V2 trim may well prove to be the pick of the range, with e-Boost being a very tempting £800 extra on top of that. And justifiable because Vapor Grey looks great and is the only £0 colour option.

Cupra Born V3 58kWh

Report 1:

I’m going to make a bold statement… After a few weeks with the all-new battery-electric Cupra Born, I think it might just be the best company car you can buy (BCCYCB) right now… both from a driver’s perspective and that of a fleet operator.

Having waxed close to lyrical at times about our previous FW Fleet members – messrs Seat Leon PHEV and Cupra Formentor PHEV – I also accepted, after 6,000 miles with each, that they came with some compromises. Mainly an all-electric range of 40 miles or so, and that real-world efficiency could tail off if drivers are not diligent in their charging patterns.

With the Born’s official range of 260+ miles, assuming you have access to charging points, there really appear to be no compromises. We have been getting 280+ miles to a charge given the clement weather, which underlines that it’s a great all-rounder with the potential to travel from London to Leicester and back on a single charge.

In fact, the only time when the Born hasn’t felt like the BCCYCB was when it developed a software fault which had to be reset at my local Cupra dealer. It was the first Born they had seen for any form of work, but the technician there looked at it straight away – even though it wasn’t booked in – and it’s been faultless ever since.

The Born could be viewed as a restyled Volkswagen ID.3 but the overall effect, the driving dynamics and the stunning Aurora Blue paint (£840) are hugely appealing.