Spanish performance brand Cupra on Wednesday unveiled the El-Born, a battery-electric hatchback based on the Volkswagen ID 3.

Cupra started out life as a performance sub-brand of Spanish mainstream brand SEAT but was turned into a standalone brand in 2018. While it still offers tuned SEATs, Cupra has started launching its own models. The first was the Formentor compact crossover SUV unveiled in March, and now we can add the El-Born to the list.

The El-Born's platform is Volkswagen Group's MEB design, which debuted in the ID 3. The first MEB-based vehicle due in the United States is the VW ID 4 compact SUV coming later this year.

VW MEB platform

VW MEB platform

Cupra hasn't said how much power and torque the El-Born produces, or even if we're looking at a single- or dual-motor powertrain, but we know the handsome hatch packs the biggest battery on offer in the ID 3, a 77-kilowatt-hour unit good for 250 miles of range. With high-speed charging, around 160 miles of range can be added in about 30 minutes.

El-Born buyers can look forward to a number of premium features. These will include a permanent Internet connection, an augmented reality head-up display, bucket seats up front, and a flat-bottom, multifunction steering wheel.

Production of the El-Born will be handled at the same plant in Zwickau, Germany, where the ID 3 is built. Sales start in 2021 in markets where Cupra operates.