Last year the Extreme E started, a test based on Formula E but with the dose of adventure and survival that characterizes the most complicated raids in the world. After a first season marked by learning, the Cupra ABT XE team is going all out and it does so with Jutta Kleinschmidt and Nasser Al-Attiyah as teammates. The first female winner of the Dakar and the current champion of the toughest rally of the year will join forces to finish first at the wheel of the Cupra Tavascan Extreme E. This model, which is an evolution of the previous ABT XE1, shows the design DNA of the Martorell firm but also its technological and 100% electric propulsion capabilities.
This modern competition of 100% electric and off-road cars has left us with the most curious images. The battles on sand, ice and jungle tracks were one of the claims of this test, which tries to highlight natural environments threatened by climate change. In this second season the Extreme E promises more of the same, and Cupra ABT XE is ready to give a lot to talk about.
two of the greats
Nasser Al-Attiyah, four-time winner of the Dakar (2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022), did not want to miss the opportunity to compete against Carlos Sainz and Sebástien Loeb in yet another modality. Far from the dunes of the current Dakar, the competition will be much livelier with the prince among the ranks of the Cupra ABT XE. As a partner, she will have Jutta Kleinschmidt, also the winner of the Dakar in 2001 and, for now, the only female to achieve it.
The driver was excited at the presentation of the new team after its first season and declared: Last year we built a solid base and fought for the top positions. This year, the challenge is to achieve wins and podium finishes more consistently. We are ready to do it.” Nasser Al-Attiyah, on the other hand, is new to Extreme E and will have to adapt to the competition and the cars: “I think it will be a great experience for me, as the Extreme E championship is a step towards a better future. . I am proud to have joined the Cupra Tribe for this adventure and I know we can do a great job.”
The Cupra Tavascan
The Tavascan is an electric SUV that will arrive in the commercial offer of those from Martorell in 2024. As a boost in its image, the Cupra ABT XE team has renamed its electric prototype as the Tavascan Extreme E. Last season was an exceptional learning experience for the engineers, who have improved some aspects of the final vehicle for this 2022 tour. The Extreme E’s Tavascan is equipped with a 54 kWh battery located behind the driver’s seat. This location achieves an almost perfect weight distribution and, together with its 100% electric block, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 4 seconds .
We will see him run for the first time in the Saudi Arabia (Neom) test on February 19 . As Dr. Werner Tietz, Vice President of R&D at Cupra commented: “We are always looking for challenges and last year we could see that Extreme E not only reflects the spirit of Cupra, it also demonstrates that electrification and performance go hand in hand. hand”. The goal this year is to climb to the top of the podium.
