In broader terms, it might seem that Seat has been behind the times when it comes to producing electric cars, with its first EV being unveiled earlier in the month.
But look at the Spanish brand’s ambition and future, and it seems like this youth-focussed brand might be carving itself a niche with electric models.
Here’s why Seat might be the next leader of electric city cars.
New Mii Electric, and the petrol model is being discontinued
To kickstart Seat’s electric offensive, the brand has chosen to launch an electric version of one of its exciting cars – the Mii city car.
It shares its underpinnings with the Volkswagen Up! and Skoda Citigo – both of which have spawned electric versions – so it’s not a surprise that the Mii is going electric.
Showing the firm’s dedication to EVs, the standard petrol Mii is being discontinued, and the Electric model will be the only choice.
Its 162-mile electric range is really quite impressive for a car of this size, while a long list of standard equipment (as with most of Seat’s cars) give the model a fantastic feeling of value, with the manufacturing also promising an affordable starting price.
A standalone EV to debut next year
After the Mii Electric, we’ll see the brand’s first separate electric car – the el-Born.
Based on Volkswagen’s new ID.3, the el-Born will be a similar size to the Seat Leon, of which a plug-in hybrid will also be launched.
While the el-Born will make a fantastic city car, it has appeal elsewhere, too, thanks to its impressive 261-mile electric range.
So far, we’ve just seen the concept, with the production model set to go on sale in 2020.
Seat’s future of mobility
Perhaps the thing that shows Seat is at the forefront of electric city cars is its ‘future of mobility’ model, which is known as the Minimo.
The Minimo is a vehicle designed for car sharing and features an innovative battery swap system that can lower the costs of mobility by up to 50 per cent.
The Minimo’s compact dimensions, outlandish looks and battery swap system might seem a bit outlandish, but it’s surprisingly not, with a production model expected in 2021.
