SEAT weighs up its hybrid and electric car options ~ station of gear

The first hybrid or electric SEATs will be shown in 2019 before launching in 2020 with Mii, Leon and a bespoke EV in the frame

2016-10-19 13:40

SEAT is weighing up its options as to which hybrid or electric vehicles to bring to the market first. Senior execs at the brand confirmed to Auto Express that there are three options on the table: a fully electric version of the Mii, a plug-in hybrid Leon or an all-new bespoke electric vehicle.

Lucas Casasnovas, Head of Product Marketing told us an electric Mii and plug-in Leon are relatively straightforward development jobs for SEAT, as the technology currently exists within the VW Group in the shape of the VW e-Up! and Golf GTE. The third option available to SEAT would be a completely new and bespoke electric vehicle based on the Group’s new MEB platform. A decision has not yet been made on which will come first.

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Dr Matthias Rabe, SEAT’s vice president of research and development, explained that: “We have concrete plans for electric cars and it will not just be one, there will be more to follow plus a hybrid, but not within the next two years.”

Rabe went on to say that while SEAT’s entry to the fully electric or hybrid market wouldn’t happen before 2020, we would see the vehicle a year before its launch in 2019.

The first vehicle to be based on the new MEB architecture will be a production version of the VW I.D Concept, which debuted at the recent Paris Motor Show. However, the new platform is also available to the wider VW Group and forms part of the plan to have ‘over 30’ electric vehicles in the Group by 2025.

What should SEAT's EV strategy be? Let us know in the comments...

Jonathan Burn

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