New EV With Touches of Gaming

 Cupra's Gaming Motif - Gamification of the Car

                                Source:  Cupra

Car Designed as a Lifestyle Interest

Volkwagen-owned, sports, race car and EV maker Cupra has created a concept car that is a brilliant idea.  The car is designed to appeal to young,14-year-old gamers and bring them back to buy when they legally can in the future.  The vehicle, called Urban Rebel, has a controller-styled steering wheel and a big digital dashboard, all fashioned-on gaming electronics.  Some automotive experts are calling the Urban Rebel the gamification of cars. The company calls it a look at the future through the eyes and interest of future buyers. Cupra says that 80% of 14 year olds are gamers. The EV is a marketing strategy that plays right into the megatrend of vehicles reflecting the owner's lifestyle.  Today's teen gamers should feel very comfortable with the key driving apparatus in the small, all-electric EV.  Urban Rebel will be on the market and on the road in 2025. The company will also be manufacturing urban EVs for VW and Skoda.

State of the Art Technologies

The EV has front-wheel drive and is powered by a 58-kWh battery.  It comes in two versions: Performance and Long Range.  The basic range is expected to be 273 miles, with 226 hp, the capability to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds and a price of about $29,400.  The vehicle is composed of recycled materials and many components are 3D printed.  Across the dashboard there is a widescreen digital display with speed and power level data.  There is also a full screen, heads-up display on the lower part of the windshield providing the driver with vital information, such as the best approach to cornering or parking the car or when to make a left or right turn. The EV also videotapes the drive for the passengers and driver to later view and post online for others to view. The company says it is building in tremendous connectivity for drivers and passengers to interact with devices in the vehicle as young teens currently do in their everyday lives.

How Do You Want to Drive in 2030?

Clearly, this is a very different sort of vehicle.  The company has designed it to start answering the question of how people will interact with their cars in 2030 and beyond.  It is a leading example of the current vehicle trend emerging from global automakers that are tailoring vehicles specifically to the lifestyle interests of passengers and drivers, be it a car that is your inner sanctum or a car that personifies gaming.