2023 Cupra Born electric hatchback spied on Sydney roads

The Cupra Born electric hatchback has been spied testing on Australian roads, ahead of a local launch expected at the backend of this year.

Closely related to Volkswagen's ID.3 hatchback, the sporty new Spanish-designed Born seats five and is powered by an electric motor on the rear axle.

The photos above and below were taken in Enmore in Sydney's inner west, and Drive understands the car is is one of a handful being used for local testing and evaluation, as detailed in January.

While Australian specifications are yet to be announced, in the first batch of European-delivered examples, the Born is powered by a single electric motor sends 150kW/310Nm to the rear wheels.

This allows the 0-100km/h sprint to be completed in a claimed 7.3 seconds, on the way to an electronically-limited top speed of 160km/h. Buyers will soon be able to option an 'e-Boost' performance pack, upping outputs to 170kW/310Nm, and cutting the 0-100km/h time to 6.6 seconds.

Three lithium-ion battery packs – 45kWh, 58kW, and 77kW – will eventually be available internationally, with the lattermost offering up to 548km of range between charges on the WLTP cycle.

The Cupra Born in the above images was snapped arriving at Sydney Airport on cargo pallets in late December 2021. You can read that story by clicking here.

Previous reports have suggested the 2023 Cupra Born could go on sale in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, with local pricing likely starting between $50,000 and $60,000 before on-road costs.

A spokesperson for Cupra Australia said more information on local plans for the car may be announced next month. Stay tuned to Drive for all the latest updates.