Cupra Born range, battery & charging
The Cupra Born will eventually available with a choice of three battery sizes, all of which promise enough range and charging capability to keep most drivers happy
| Battery size | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45kWh | 211 miles | 7hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 26mins (10-80%, 100kW) |
| 58kWh | 261-263 miles | 9hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 33mins (10-80%, 100kW) |
| 77kWh | 335 miles | 12hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 34mins (10-80%, 125kW) |
Underneath its sharp bodywork, the Cupra Born shares its platform with many electric cars we’re already familiar with. The list includes the Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback, the ID.4 SUV and ID.5 coupe-SUV, as well as the Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq iV. The Spanish carmaker’s first electric model is available with a choice of three battery sizes – 45, 58 and 77kWh – with figures for all versions on par with those of the equivalent Volkswagen ID.3. Plus, every model gets rapid charging as standard.
Cupra Born range
Four versions of the Born have been announced so far, with only one on sale at the time of writing. The entry-level model has a 45kWh battery, which holds enough energy for up to 211 miles of driving. The next two versions use a 58kWh battery and are capable of covering in excess of 260 miles on a charge. However, the final variant features an even larger 77kWh unit that, according to the brand, allows for a range of 335 miles.
The first Borns to arrive in the UK feature the 58kWh battery paired with a 201bhp electric motor, which is the version we drove. It should be able to cover up to 263 miles on a charge, although our test car struggled to break a predicted 200 miles from a full battery in cold conditions, returning around 2.7 miles per kWh efficiency.
Charge time
Borns fitted with either the 45 or 58kWh battery can be charged at up to 100kW, meaning topping up from 10-80% using a fast enough rapid-charging point takes 26 and 33 minutes respectively. The top-of-the-range model can be recharged at up to 125kW. So, if you find a fast enough charger, you can top up the 77kWh battery from 10-80% in 34 minutes – or to put it another way, add 62 miles of range in only seven minutes.
Volkswagen ID.3s fitted with the 77kWh battery will be receiving a software update in early 2022 to increase their maximum charging speeds to either 135 or 150kW depending on the exact version, and it's expected the same will apply to the Born.
Using a 7kW home wallbox to fully recharge the Born will take around seven-and-a-half hours for the 45kWh battery, while the 58kWh variant can be topped up from flat in just over nine hours. Go for the largest battery and it'll take over 12 hours to fully recharge.
