Cupra Raval launch pushed back to 2026

Cupra has announced that its next EV – the Raval – will go on sale in early 2026.

The Raval was originally scheduled for release later this year but the Spanish manufacturer revealed recently that full-scale production will not get underway in early 2026.

The new all-electric supermini will be built at Seat/Cupra’s Martorell factory near Barcelona, which is currently being redeveloped to accommodate production of the Volkswagen Group’s urban electric car. This shared-platform vehicle will include the Raval and the Volkswagen ID.2, acting as EV alternatives to the ageing Ibiza and Polo, alongside the Skoda Epiq compact crossover.

Pre-production versions will begin to leave the factory towards the end of this year before full series production begins in 2026.

Cupra has already revealed some technical specifications for the Raval, which is based on the VW Group’s MEB Entry platform. We know that the supermini will use a 223bhp front-mounted motor and that it will get from 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds. Battery capacities haven’t been confirmed but Cupra has said there will be more than one battery size, with the long-range model capable of covering up to 273 miles.

Pricing announcements are still some way off, but given its market position and the pricing of rival cars such as the Renault 5 and Mini Cooper SE, we would expect it to start in the region of £25,000.

Reaffirming its commitment to electrification, Cupra and its sister brand Seat, also announced that they would double the number of chargers at their facilities during the first quarter of 2025 to more than 250 and will triple the charging network in the parking lots around its factory in Martorell during the year, reaching 140 points. All the chargers will be powered by renewable energy.