- Cupra aims to enter the U.S. by 2030
- The Volkswagen Group brand plans to offer gas, plug-in hybrid, and electric models in the U.S.
- The brand is already present in Mexico and some additional Latin American countries
It’s only been a year since Volkswagen Group’s Spanish performance brand, Cupra, announced plans to enter the U.S. market by the end of the decade with a range of electric vehicles.
A lot has changed in that short time, including a slowdown in the adoption rate of EVs, plus the Trump administration’s steep tariffs on regions where Cupras are currently built: Europe and China.
Despite the headwinds, Cupra is still committed to launching in the U.S. by 2030, CEO Wayne Griffiths said on March 13 during a press conference outlining the past year’s financial results, Automotive DriftBreath has reported. However, the all-EV strategy has taken a back seat to a new plan that includes gas and plug-in hybrid vehicles alongside EVs.
“Our decision to bring Cupra to the U.S. by the end of the decade remains unchanged,” Griffiths said. “This is a long-term decision that cannot be determined on the basis of short-term fluctuations.”
Wayne Griffiths – Photo via Cupra
Currently, cars from Europe are expected to face tariffs of 25%, up from the 2.5% import duty they already face when coming into the U.S. Chinese-made cars that aren’t EVs already face a 25% tariff in addition to the 2.5% import duty, while Chinese-made EVs face a 100% tariff.
Cupra is looking to the U.S. to help diversify its markets, as the brand currently sells 90% of its vehicles in Europe. It also sells vehicles in Mexico and other Latin American countries. For the U.S., Cupra has previously said it will initially operate in select states on the East and West Coasts and along the Sun Belt. The brand is already in talks with Penske Automotive Group to establish a local sales channel. Griffiths, during the recent press conference, said the next step for Cupra’s launch in the U.S. is determining what models to sell there.
Cupra started out as a performance sub-brand of VW Group’s Spanish brand SEAT, but in 2018, it was repositioned as a standalone brand offering a range of sporty, emotional vehicles with striking designs and platforms mostly shared with models from Volkswagen. In 2024, it managed 248,100 sales, up 7.5% from the previous year.
