Cupra wants its electric cars to sound like Star Trek ships

Cupra says that like most EVs, its electric vehicles (EVs) are too quiet, so it’s working on giving them a more exciting sound.

“One thing I’ve given my team that they haven’t figured out yet is that we need to develop a software system that creates an emotional sound for the electric car,” Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths told CarExpert.

“I miss the excitement around internal combustion engine noise, so I think we need something that can replace it.

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He noted that Cupra can rely on Volkswagen Group’s CARIAD software division for software stacks and all systems used in its cars.

Asked if he would like the brand’s electric cars to mimic the sound of internal combustion engine cars, Mr Griffiths said “definitely not”.

“The emotional sound of an electric car should be more like Star Trek when you go to Warp Five,” he said.

“For me, one of the best examples is probably the Porsche Taycan. When I drove the Porsche Taycan, I was amazed by this sound experience.

“[We will not] Never try to copy an internal combustion engine, it must be something completely different.

“I think we also need outside, the sound of a car outside, also for legal reasons, to make sure people can hear those cars coming is also important.”

Cupra has already unveiled its first electric vehicle, the MEB-based Born, and will follow with the coupe SUV Tavascan on the same platform, as well as the smaller UrbanRebel based on the MEB Entry. The Born is already on sale, the latter two here in 2025.

It plans to be a pure electric vehicle brand by 2030 and has confirmed that the successors to today’s Leon and Formentor will offer electric propulsion.

In addition, Cupra is considering entering the US market and is therefore trying to top its offering with an electric SUV that will be larger than the upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan-sized Terramar.

Perhaps the most “emotional” of these electric vehicles is a sports car, which Mr. Griffiths alluded to recently.

“If we need to develop new models to add to our range, those new models either have to give us access to truly global markets like the US, or do something very, very special for our brand,” said Mr. Griffiths.

“So if we were to make other cars, it would be cars that fit our brand and our brand DNA. And that’s why we talk about when additional cars or new models are based on a sports car, for example.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do a ute, but maybe there will be a chance for a nice Cupra sports car at some point in the future.”