Switching from a conventional gasoline or diesel car to an electric vehicle is an important decision in the lives of many drivers.
Deciding whether you can really adapt to life with a car that is almost completely silent to drive, full of torque, and needs to be charged rather than refueled can be a difficult choice for some, especially those without home chargers or drivers who travel a lot. mileage on a regular basis.
However, Seat’s spin-off sports brand Cupra now claims to offer a solution of sorts; You can return your Born hatchback after three months of purchasing it if you simply don’t like it or don’t like living with an electric vehicle in general.
But there is a problem…
Cupra, Seat’s sports spin-off, has just launched an innovative offer on its Born electric hatchback. If you don’t like it after 80 days, you can return it and get your money back!
The carmaker says the take-back option scheme, the first of its kind for an electric car, has been launched “for drivers who are not yet fully convinced that an electric vehicle is for them”.
The offer, called ‘Love me or leave me’, is available only on the Born hatchback, the sister model to the VW ID.3, which costs from £35,495 and 262 miles in its cheapest version, although it rises to 373 miles for more expensive options .
If after three months the owner decides that the electric vehicle is not for them, they can return it and Cupra will return the deposit, whether the car was purchased outright or financed.
The terms and conditions of the offer dictate that customers must inform the manufacturer that they no longer want the electric vehicle by email between 80 and 100 days after receiving delivery; that’s less than three weeks to make a decision.
So what’s the problem?
Like most deals, there are some pitfalls drivers should be aware of.
Firstly, only Borns ordered from current Cupra stock are eligible for the three-month cashback offer.
And, here’s the thing, if the driver decides they want to get rid of it, they will need to inform the manufacturer via email 80 to 100 days after receiving delivery.
This means they will have less than three weeks (20 days) to notify the brand that electric vehicle ownership is simply not for them at this time.
Cupra also warns that the deposit amount will be returned minus any damage caused to the vehicle during the period the customer has owned it.
Marcus Gossen, director of Cupra UK, said: “It’s safe to say that the new plan is innovative and will give many drivers who have considered an electric car the impetus to take the leap.”
‘Cupra Born is already a compelling proposition, bringing together performance, great range, sporty styling and an exceptional interior in a package that owners tell us they love.
“But, if the experience doesn’t fit your lifestyle and the driver doesn’t adjust to EV ownership, you can return the keys after three months.”
Cupra has also partnered with OVO and Ohme to offer home charging deals for customers, including up to 10,000 miles of free charging using one of OVO’s tariffs and a free Ohme device.
Automakers cut prices, introduce strange deals to boost EV sales
Curpa’s is not the only brand-inspired deal designed to encourage motorists to switch to electric vehicles amid reports of faltering demand among private buyers.
Fiat has expanded its ‘e-Grant’ offer which reduces the list price of its 500e and 600e models by £3,000.
In recent weeks, Lexus has also reduced the price of its electric vehicles by up to £7,000 and Vauxhall has also made its battery-powered cars cheaper in the hope of boosting uptake.
Electric car sales: Lexus has reduced the price of its UX300e EV by up to £7,100 in a bid to stimulate demand
In recent weeks, Vauxhall has also reduced the price of its Astra Electric (left) and Corsa Electric (right) range by up to 11% as part of efforts to “democratize access to electric vehicles” by making them “more accessible” for car buyers.
However, arguably the most unique (and strange) of all the recent offerings is Renault’s ‘Relationship Breakdown Cover’ for its Scenic electric SUV.
This guarantees a refund to couples who purchase the electric family car but then divorce or dissolve a civil partnership after taking delivery.
Recent studies have found that high prices remain the biggest barrier to electric car ownership, with most drivers saying they simply cannot afford to switch to an electric vehicle.
Two-thirds of car buyers told Auto Trader last month that they have no intention of spending more than £20,000 on their next vehicle, a budget that leaves most new battery models out of their reach.
According to its latest report, the average retail price of a new all-electric car is £51,000, around 31 per cent more than a new petrol or diesel model.
However, more affordable electric vehicles are in the pipeline, starting this year with the sub-£15,000 Dacia Spring launching this year and the new £23,495 Hyundai Inster due to arrive in 2025.
Renault’s peculiar plan, launched in July, is also riddled with caveats, including being open only to those who bought the car outright between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 (representing very few buyers of electric vehicles, and most use leasing options) and have “either a divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership.”
The deal announced by Cupra comes just days after the UK’s automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and 13 major vehicle manufacturers wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves calling for the introduction of new incentives to make make battery-powered cars less expensive for motorists to purchase. to inject life into the electric vehicle market.
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