Cupra's forthcoming electirc car, the Born, has been sliding around a frozen lake in temperatures as low as -30ºC in the name of devleopment.
Cupra engineers have spent two years testing the Born on a 6km2 frozen lake test circuit just a few miles from the Artic Circle.
Now in the final stages of testing before its launch, they are pushing the brand’s first fully-electric car to its limits in these severe conditions in more than 1000 different tests.
This includes durability testing, where nearly 19,000 test miles have been accumulated day and night, and development of the car's Dynamic Chassis Control and damper settings, all of which are tested on a frozen lake circuit.
Apparenlty the inner part of the test track is more polished in order to promote sliding which enables the engineers to perfect the handling characteristics of Born.
Cupra Born has also been developed on tracks with ice and asphalt surfaces, leading to a variety of grip conditions. This creates challenging conditions and tests the sensors on all four wheels which analyse each type of terrain to find the balance that provides the most stable braking.
Handily, being an EV, the response of the Cupra Born’s climate control system is immediate. Even at -30ºC, the Born delivers its maximum level of heating power instantly.
In fact, engineers at Cupra's Technical Centre in Martorell, Barcelona used state-of-the-art tech such as 3D printers to develop the air conditioning system to ensure it is as quiet and efficient as possible.
Now this testing is complete, the World Premiere of Cupra's first 100% electric model is on track to happen at the beginning of May this year.
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Keyword: Cupra Born heads out for winter testing ahead of launch