CHALLENGING LAPLAND’S EXTREME CONDITIONS WITH CUPRA TAVASCAN READ MORE READ MORE THE NEW MODEL HAS COMPLETED EXTENSIVE TESTING UNDER THE EXACTING SUPERVISION OF CUPRA ENGINEERS Every time CUPRA designs a new model, it embarks on a complex process involving multiple trials, tests and extreme condi-tions. The goal? To leave nothing to chan-ce and to check that our vehicles can per-form optimally and drive safely on any road in the world. Tests that ultimately help us to acquire a deeper understanding of our cars and make im-provements before they enter mass production, the-reby ensuring maximum performance. Our most re-cent model to undergo these tests in the polar cold of Sweden’s Lapland was the CUPRA Tavascan. It did so with Lucas di Grassi, ABT CUPRA Formula E driver and brand ambassador. An experience that allowed him to gain first-hand insight into the sensations and emotions that the all-electric CUPRA SUV transmits on the icy and snowy surfaces of Lapland. CHALLENGING NATURE The cold, wind, snow and ice were the main obstacles to overcome, both for the CUPRA Tavascan and for Di Grassi himself, who relished a completely new cha-llenge: “I’ve driven all over the world for many years, but this is the first time I’ve driven in such extreme icy conditions.” It was a challenge he didn’t hesitate to accept, and it was also his first time at the wheel of the CUPRA Tavascan. His expert involvement was an added bonus for the winter tests, not only becau-se he has competed at the highest level with elec-tric cars, but also because “I used to be a test driver, helping to develop both single-seaters and compe-tition tyres,” explains the CUPRA ambassador. SUB-ZERO DEVELOPMENT The CUPRA Tavascan was exposed to harsh wea-ther in a region where temperatures can drop below -35ºC. Unforgiving conditions that enable CUPRA’s engineers to see how far the brand’s first all-electric SUV can go. They were assisted by Di Grassi in com-pleting several of the tests, starting with the braking test, where a surface combining ice and asphalt eva-luates grip and control. “These conditions give you a good understanding of how the car behaves. By ge-nerating front load you can see how much grip you get and how responsive the car is,” says Di Grassi. He also put the car through its paces on the acce-leration and handling tracks, both on a frozen lake set up for engineers and testers, concluding that “I was impressed by how well the CUPRA Tavascan’s oversteer can be managed. As it’s an all-wheel drive vehicle, you can really apply the power you need to keep control on slippery surfaces.” A COLLECTIVE IMPULSE More than 100 CUPRA R&D engineers come throu-gh this top-secret facility to complete approxima-tely 1,100 days of testing, from November to March. Among them, CUPRA’s own Vice-President for R&D, Dr. Werner Tietz, who was there in person to over-see the development of the CUPRA Tavascan. “For us it’s important that the car provides enough torque and power to make it fun to drive. That’s why the-se tests are very useful, among many other things, to fine-tune and adjust aspects such as the stability control (ESC) under low friction conditions.” The car is subjected to hundreds of tests, one of the most demanding of which is the durability test, where the car has to cover 30,000 kilometres, day and night, in order to monitor its behaviour on different surfaces and optimise its performance. It’s a thorough task to gather data and information for the final tuning of the vehicle. DISRUPTIVE DRIVING With the support of the engineers and even Dr. Tietz, di Grassi was in excellent company at all times, and he was very satisfied with the experience of driving for the first time on ice and snow, as well as giving his feedback. But what stood out above all were the sensations the electric SUV transmitted on the icy tracks, “the car’s amazing response. I love the CUPRA Tavascan! It’s very precise and controllable, amazing to drive.” — Watch the video of Lucas di Grassi braving the extreme conditions of Lapland with the CUPRA Tavascan here. CUPRA’s all-electric SUV travels to Lapland to be tested in extreme conditions, with temperatures that can exceed -35ºC. CUPRA’s Vice-President for R&D, Dr. Werner Tietz, was there in person to oversee the development of the CUPRA Tavascan first-hand.