The sports brand of Seat intends to take advantage of its youth (it celebrates its four years this week) to seize subjects that traditional manufacturers can only approach gropingly. Thus, during an online conference, Cupra announced several new features that will concern its future electrified models. The first concerns their immersion in the Metaverse, this digital universe which is considered by some to be the next iteration of the Internet. Thus the Spanish brand, owned by the Volkswagen group, has launched Metahype, its virtual world, in which it is possible to wander at will, but above all to own… a Cupra. Indeed, the next two electrified vehicles of the brand, as well as the following ones, will have a digital double in the form of NFT (non fungible token), or a dematerialized good.
Wayne Griffiths, the CEO of Cupra whom we were able to interview after the event agrees: ” we don’t know exactly where we’re going with the Metavers, but we know where we want to go “. Indeed, Cupra’s digital strategy seems full of ambition, but is still not very clear. For the moment, it is above all a question of being part of it rather than making something concrete out of it. And for good reason, Cupra does not say precisely what its virtual space will be used for. It is both about collecting data on the car, and how drivers use it, but also about car races that would take place both in real life and online. Finally, there are also very practical aspects such as the possibility of having a digital “monitoring book” of technical interventions on the car.
The Metavers, yes, but two new models too
Cupra’s virtual universe was developed with the company VISYON and in partnership with two brands, Primavera Sound and UBEAT. For Wayne Griffiths, Metahype is our interpretation of this new universe. It’s a collaborative space where brands, startups, and content creators can host a wide variety of events and experiences for individuals to create and share their culture. With CUPRA’s entry into the metaverse, we once again prove that we are a brand that goes beyond the automotive industry. “.
As for more “concrete” announcements, this Cupra event was an opportunity for the brand to unveil new, very ambitious objectives: to double sales and the distribution network in one year. Finally, the sports brand has confirmed that two new models will soon be revealed, two different cars from the Tavascan and the Urban Rebel whose respective arrivals are scheduled for 2024 and 2025. In short, the real future of Cupra is at the less as mysterious as his digital project.