The Cupra Formentor Plug-In Hybrid SUV: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Cupra Formentor PHEV SUV

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SEAT CUPRA, S.A.U, simply known as CUPRA, is the high-performance motorsport subsidiary of SEAT S.A., Spain’s first family car manufacturer. The automotive company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Martorell, Spain. 

In 1986, SEAT was sold to the German automotive group, Volkswagen A.G. CUPRA was previously known as SEAT Sport. The high-performance CUPRA brand was created in 2018. The manufacturer is committed to becoming a fully-electric brand by 2030. CUPRA is expected to introduce the all-electric Cupra Terramar and the all-electric Cupra UrbanRebel in due course. The company has the following portfolio of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs):

• CUPRA Formentor e-HYBRID
• CUPRA Leon e-HYBRID
• CUPRA Leon Estate e-HYBRID
• All-electric CUPRA Born
• All-electric CUPRA Tavascan

The production version of the Cupra Formentor compact SUV was unveiled in 2020, with production commencing in September 2020. The SUV is marketed as a ‘Coupé SUV’ by the Spanish automotive manufacturer. The Formentor SUV is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

As is expected from the copper Cupra badge, the Formentor plug-in hybrid sporty exterior stying certainly attracts attention. Put simply, it is good looking! The plug-in hybrid electric SUV is positioned to combine performance and efficiency, to include, improved fuel economy and lower tailpipe emissions.

The Formentor PHEV has tailpipe emissions up to 32g(CO2/km) compared to 193g(CO2/km) for the CUPRA Formentor VZ3 TSI 4Drive Petrol 310 variant. A reduction of over 80% in tailpipe emissions.

The Cupra Formentor EV has a claimed fuel economy up to 1.2 l/100km. Though, real-world fuel economy will be less efficient than claimed economy, using the pure electric mode on a regular basis will improve the fuel economy and lower the cost of driving. If the plug-in hybrid is driven primarily on the combustion engine, then expect a fuel economy closer to the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) variant.

The Cupra PHEV has a 12.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a WLTP certified zero-emission electric range of up to 55 km. Depending on driving style, weather condition, road condition, passenger load, wheel size, speed, services used in the EV, expect a real-world pure electric range closer to 45 km.

However, that would be more than sufficient for most day-to-day commutes i.e. driving emission-free and also saving money. The running cost per km of an EV is far lower than a petrol or diesel car.

We at e-zoomed recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to EV charging. This way, EV range is available to use and regular charging also improves the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Cupra offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.

Though the PHEV cannot be charged using fast DC charging, it can be fully charged in under four hours using a dedicated home EV charging station, like the Easee home EV charging station. The Cupra plug-in electric car has a 3.6 kW onboard charger. We discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car.

The Cupra plug-in hybrid pairs the 1.4 e-HYBRID DSG-6 petrol engine with an electric motor. The all-wheel drive plug-in electric SUV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds (maximum power: 204 PS). The top speed of the EV is 205 km/h.

The interior is high quality and practical. Adults seated on the rear seats have ample legroom and headroom. The copper details are visible through the cabin. However, due to the hybrid hardware, the boot space is smaller (345 L) compared to the conventional petrol Formentor.

Standard equipment includes: 12″ navigation system, full link smartphone integration (mirror link, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Google Android Auto), keyless start, keyless entry, driver alert system, dynamic road sign display, high beam assist, dynamic headlight range control and more.

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Attractive, distinctive, stylish exterior. Also, practical for families.	Limited to a 3.6 kW on-board charger. DC charging not available
Decent emission-free range (up to 55 km)	Boot space limited (345 L)
Low tailpipe emissions	An expensive PHEV compared to alternatives

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The Cupra Formentor PHEV SUV (credit: Cupra)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Body Type:	SUV
Engine:	Petrol-Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Cupra Formentor (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 12.8 kWh
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger 3.6 kW (0% – 100%: 3 hrs 33 mins)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	26 – 32g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1510
Width (mm):	1839
Length (mm):	4450
Wheelbase (mm):	2680
Turning Circle (m):	11.4
Boot Space (L):	345

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1.4 e-HYBRID DSG-6 (V1 & V2)
EV Battery Capacity:	12.8 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	55 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	14.5 – 15.7
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	1.2 – 1.6
Charging:	DC charging not available. On-board charger 3.6 kW AC:(0% – 100%: 3 hrs 33 mins)
Top Speed:	205 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.8 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Max Power (PS):	204
Torque (Nm):	350
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Weight (kg):	1,681
Colours:	10
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Air Quality: The Basics

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It does not matter where in India one lives, no one can escape the increased level of air pollution engulfing our villages, towns and cities, across the country. However, this is not unique to India.

Air pollution has been documented globally as one of the key issues in increased mortality rates, in particular, for those that are most vulnerable: the children and the aged. Increased air pollution has been linked to increases in premature deaths, higher rates of cancer, heart attacks, stroke and lung diseases.   

In India, air quality worsens closer to more densely populated urban centres, the 1st, 2^nd and 3^rd tier cities. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru are just some of the examples of cities with dangerous levels of toxic air pollution or poor air quality. In fact, air pollution levels have been so high in India in the recent years, that it has captured the attention of the world media. 

Many factors affect the level of air pollution, but one that is significant, is the pollution released from road transportation, commonly referred to as ‘emissions’ or tailpipe emissions. For the majority of the globe, to include, India, emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles contribute more than 30% to air pollution. This is an average, and certainly, in more populated cities like Delhi and Mumbai, the level of toxic contribution from vehicle exhausts will be even higher. The other major contributor to air pollution is energy production and consumptions (fossil fuels).  

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So, what is air pollution?

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• Air pollution is the release of pollutants in our atmosphere that have a negative impact on the health of individuals and the environment as a whole. 

• The majority of pollutants are invisible. The are minutely small particles (finely divided solids) or gases that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These extremely small solid or liquid particles are also called particulates. Examples are: fumes, smoke, dust and soot. The majority of these particulates are less than 10 micrometres.    

• Air pollution can affect the environment both outdoors and indoors. There are a number of different types of pollutants, but the most well known are particulate matter, carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.  

• Both carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO2), contribute to smog formation, very common in the winter months. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) contributes to haze and also acid rain formation. Particulate matters also contributes to haze and acid rain. All the above negatively impact health by increasing irritation of breathing passages, aggravation of asthma and irregular heartbeat. 

• Pollutants like carbon dioxide have a far reaching consequence on our lives. It is not only air pollution that it impacts, but as being a major source of greenhouse gas, CO2 has a long-term and detrimental impact on our environment and ecosystem. More commonly refereed to as ‘climate change’.

• Most of us know in India are familiar with PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter). These are tiny particles or droplets that are two and one half microns or less in width. A micron is a unit of measurement of length equal to one millionth of a metre. An increase in levels of PM 2.5 concentrations result in an increase in unhealthy air quality, haze etc. Vehicle exhausts are a major contributor to higher levels of PM 2.5 in the air.    

• Though measures like reducing traffic (odd-even system in Delhi), wearing air masks etc. can help reduce the impact of pollution, the reduction is not far-reaching. Zero-emission road transportation i.e. electric cars, are a panacea for a sustained and comprehensive improvement in air quality. The sooner, we in India, migrate to electric vehicles, the sooner can we start to improve our local air quality.  

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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