Making the switch away from a conventional petrol or diesel car to owning an electric vehicle is a major life decision for many motorists.
Deciding if you can truly adjust to life with a car that’s almost completely silent to drive, packed with torque and needs to be charged up rather than refuelled can be a tough choice for some, especially those without homechargers or drivers who cover big mileage on a regular basis.
However, Cupra – the sporty spin-off brand of Seat – now claims to offers a solution of sorts; you can return its Born hatchback after three months of buying it if you simply don’t like it or living with an EV in general.
But there’s a catch…
Cupra, the sporty spin-off of Seat, 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 car manufacturer says the return option scheme – the first of its kind for an electric car – has been launched ‘for drivers who are yet to be fully convinced that an EV is for them’.
The offer, named ‘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 form, though rises to up to 373 miles for pricier options.
If after three months the owner decides the EV isn’t for them, they can hand it back and Cupra will return the deposit whether the car was purchased outright or financed.
Terms and conditions of the offer dictates that customers need to inform the manufacturer they no longer want the EV by email between 80 and 100 days of taking delivery – that’s less than a three-week window in which to make your mind up
So, what’s the catch?
Like most deals, there are a few catches drivers need to be aware of.
Firstly, only Borns ordered from Cupra’s current stock are eligible for the three-month return offer.
And – this is the biggie – if the driver chooses they want to ditch it, they will need to inform the manufacturer by email between 80 and 100 days of taking delivery.
This means they will have less than a three-week (20-day) window in which to notify the brand that EV ownership simply isn’t for them right now.
Cupra also caveats that the deposit amount will be returned minus any damage caused to the vehicle during the period the customer has had it.
Marcus Gossen, director at Cupra UK, said: ‘It is safe to say that the new scheme is ground-breaking and will give many drivers who have considered an electric car the impetus to make the leap.
‘Cupra Born is already a compelling proposition, bringing performance, great range, sporty styling and an outstanding interior into one package that owners tell us they love.
‘But, if the experience doesn’t suit their lifestyle and a driver doesn’t gel with EV ownership, they can hand the keys back after three months.’
Cupra has also partnered with OVO and Ohme for home charging offers for customers, which includes up to 10,000 complimentary miles of charging using one of OVO’s tariffs and a free device from Ohme.
Car makers slashing prices and introducing oddball offers to kickstart EV sales
Curpa’s isn’t the only brand-inspired deal designed to encourage motorists to switch to EVs amidst reports of floundering demand among private buyers.
Fiat has extended its ‘e-Grant’ offer that knocks £3,000 off the list price of its 500e and 600e models.
In recent weeks, Lexus has also slashed the price of its EVs by up to £7,000 and Vauxhall has also made their battery cars less expensive in the hope it will drive uptake.
Electric car sale: Lexus has slashed up to £7,100 off the price of its UX300e EV in a bid to stimulate demand
Vauxhall in recent weeks has also slashed the price of its Astra Electric (left) and Corsa Electric (right) range by up to 11% as part of efforts to ‘democratise access to EVs’ by making them ‘more accessible’ to car buyers
Yet arguably the most unique – and oddest – of all the recent offers is Renault’s ‘Relationship Breakdown Cover’ for its electric Scenic SUV.
This guarantees a refund to couples who buy 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 hurdle for electric car ownership, with the majority of drivers saying they simply can’t afford to switch to an EV.
Two thirds of car buyers told Auto Trader last month that they intend to spend no more than £20,000 on their next vehicle – a budget which puts most new battery models far out of reach.
According to its latest report, the median retail price of a new fully electric car is £51,000, some 31 per cent higher than a new petrol or diesel model.
However, more affordable EVs are in the pipeline, starting this year with the launch of the sub-£15,000 Dacia Spring this year and the new £23,495 Hyundai Inster arriving in 2025.
Renault’s quirky scheme – launched in July – is also littered with caveats, including only being open to those who purchased the car outright between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 (which accounts for very few EV buyers, with most using lease options) and have entered ‘either a Divorce, or the dissolution of a Civil Partnership’.
Cupra’s announced deal comes just days after the UK’s automotive trade body – the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders – and 13 major vehicle makers wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves pleading for the introduction of new incentives to make battery-powered cars less expensive for motorists to buy to inject life into the EV market.
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