Until now, Cupra has been absent in China because of the cost and the risk involved. But with the Tavascan being made in China, the VW Group is looking into launching a new EV sub-brand for its Chinese-built models, according to Automobilwoche. The Spanish SUV coupé would lead the charge for this unnamed sub-brand.

The recently revealed Cupra Tavascan, an SUV coupé built on VW Group’s MEB platform like the Volkswagen ID.4 and several other models, is to be manufactured in VW’s new Anhui plant, which opens its doors for series production in the second half of 2023. This would also facilitate launching the new model on the Chinese domestic market.

New sub-brand with local EVs?

However, Cupra does not exist as a brand in China. Company representatives are quoted as saying it’s too expensive to launch a new brand over there and that there’s too much risk involved, referencing the lack of success with Skoda and the sub-brand Jetta in the Chinese market.

To combat this, VW is reportedly looking into launching a new EV-only sub-brand in China, with more of a lifestyle appeal for a younger audience. That aligns with what Cupra is trying to do in Europe.

Still, this new sub-brand, whose name is unknown, would also make it possible to bring other European EV models to China or create specific locally-produced and marketed models.

The (Cupra) Tavascan would be the first model to launch under this new sub-brand. VW is also creating a large R&D center in the Anhui plant, which would make it possible to develop local MEB-based models for the Chinese market. More info on this is likely to follow when production of the Tavascan kicks off in late 2023.