The main goal for the Cupra Born EV’s interior design team was to create a space that encompassed the brand’s DNA while offering an experience for the senses by way of an interior that could be experienced in a three-dimensional aspect.
“When you enter the Cupra Born, all your senses are activated,” commented Francesca Sangalli, head of Cupra’s Color and Trim/Concept and Strategy.
In order to achieve this, the design team utilized the latest technologies to provide occupants of the vehicle with a range of colors and textures. 3D effects were created on the blue seats, with micro-perforations designed specifically to reveal the signature copper color underneath the seats surface. The OEM also added stitching in the same color on the seats and door panels to continue the theme.
“We relied on a neutral approach to color, intensifying the effects and textures with the use of parametric techniques” said Sangalli. “This laser technique enabled us to give movement to the seat. It isn’t a static graphic effect. It shifts, it fades in and out, it seems to expand.”
Parametric technology was also used on other materials, and applied to other parts of the EV’s interior, such as the dash, to create reliefs that fade and create the impression of movement. “We wanted to create a lot of 3D effects to increase the value of all the elements and for there to be a conceptual connection between them,” explained Sangalli.
Alongside these techniques, new sustainable materials were used for the Born’s seat material. The base model features Seaqual Yarn textiles, a project that uses materials collected from the ocean to produce fabric. An ecologically sourced and recycled microfiber called Dinamica has also been used.
In addition to the 3D interior, a 12in infotainment system is situated in the center of the cabin, while a 5.3in display sits behind the steering wheel. An augmented reality head-up display also shows drivers relevant information such as speed, driving aids and directions, and touch-sensitive steering wheel controls enable the driver to switch driving modes.
“It’s very spectacular because you can see this information in 3D projected outside the vehicle onto the road, not on the windscreen. This makes it easy to drive in a natural way without having to take your eyes off the road,” said Miguel Garcia, head of infotainment systems.
“All the sensations, from the touch, the shapes, the way it surrounds you… We believe that you have to feel an electric car,” commented Jaume Sala, head of interior design. “With our interior design input, we achieved the feeling that you’re sitting inside something that was created for you. The seats, the console, the steering wheel… everything focuses in that direction.”
