Major novelties of Automobile Barcelona 2023

The 42nd edition of the International Motor Show arrived in Barcelona,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​with more than 30 car and motorcycle brands and 14 firsts, of which there are 3 presented for the first time in the world.

CUPRA

R for Raval

Cupra was the great star of the event, with a unique stand in the Plaça Univers of the Fira de Montjuic, where the new Tavascán model was presented. Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Cupra, said the company wants to make Barcelona a benchmark city for motorsports, and they are very proud to have ‘Made in Barcelona’ cars for everyone. As the first in the world, Cupra presented its new 100% electric car, whose launch is scheduled for 2025, and follows the same line as other models inspired by the city of Barcelona. The new Cupra Raval. “From Cupra we are committed to the city, and to promote actions that help the youth of the neighborhood, democratizing mobility for all audiences,” added Griffiths. He also confirmed that they are working to get Cupra to the United States, a country with a very good market.
With the new Cupra Tavascán and Raval, they want to “emphasize the emotions when driving” and “create a WOW effect on the user”, with a bold and modern exterior design and an “absolutely revolutionary interior”, according to the insider. -design by firm Jorge Díez.

2

HYUNDAI

Introducing the new Kona

Another of the big brands that presented novelties was the South Korean company Hyundai. Leopoldo Satrústegui, General Director, confirmed that Hyundai’s idea bet on leading ECO-Mobility, creating up to 5 different electrified technologies for its future designs. With the help of swimmer and brand ambassador Mireia Belmonte, Hyundai presented the new ‘Kona’ exclusively at Automobile, which will go on sale this Saturday when the doors of Fira open to the public.
The new design features larger dimensions in both width and length, as well as trunk capacity. The new ‘Kona’ is a ‘High-Tech’ car, with the latest connectivity features, smart safety systems and driver assistance. The car is available in four variants: 100% electric (EV), hybrid electric (HEV), with internal combustion engine (ICE) and sports N Line; and its price ranges from €25,000 to €43,000, depending on the propulsion system we want.

3

Kia

Strategic Plan for the future, and present.

Emilio Herrera, President of KIA’s Spanish subsidiary, presented the South Korean company’s strategic plan “for the future, but also for the present” to attendees at the Automobile de Barcelona.
The ‘S’ plan, from the ‘Shift’ plan in English, aims to position KIA as an industry leader, investing in R&D. The goal is to create electric vehicles of different sizes for specific uses, such as in department stores or industry. For this, KIA is also working on creating autonomous cars, which do not require a driver. Kia has shown a continuous evolution over the past 10 years in Europe, “growing both quantitatively and qualitatively, as we see thanks to the recognition that our models have received”, according to Eduardo Dívar, General Director . Of brand. KIA has managed to win in the last two years, the Car of the Year in Spain, with the KIA ‘Sportage’ in 2023, and the Car of the Year in Europe with the ‘EV6’ model in 2022.

4

EBRO

Pick-up 100% Spanish

The versatile Jesús Calleja is the presenter of the new Pick-up from EBRO, a Spanish car company. EBRO was the first company to take a 100% electric vehicle to the Dakar, and now they want to take the knowledge learned in the famous competition on urban roads. EBRO presents its new 4×4 pick-up, with 299 horsepower, 100% electric and a “romantic” design, as Jesús Calleja declared.
Undoubtedly, one of the most surprising news is Pedro Calef’s admission that this new pick-up will be made in the old Nissan factory in the free zone, starting in 2024. Initially it will be sold only for his commercial use, with the idea in the future to launch a design more focused on private and leisure use.
​There are already more than 5 European countries placing orders with EBRO, although Calef is confident of expanding its market globally.

5

SEAT

look to the future

Wayne Griffiths, CEO of SEAT and Cupra, named the new projects that the Spanish company is focusing on in terms of electrification and sustainability. “We are developing a way to give batteries a second life”, in addition to “updating the range of cars”, in the care plan for the environment.
“At SEAT we are developing new forms of the cars of the future,” said Mikel Palomera, General Director of SEAT and CUPRA in Spain. “We expect an optimistic future, with significant investment to make Spain a HUB for sustainable motorsports”, judged Palomera.

6

RENAULT

The experience

The French company brought various novelties to Fira, such as the new ‘Espace’ and ‘Clio’, the brand’s best-selling model in Spain. More than 12 years ago, RENAULT chose electric vehicles, being one of the first to do so, which is why they have been working in this segment of the sector for several years. One way to make a smooth transition to electric is with hybrid cars, where they’ve been working for more than a decade. RENAULT has integrated ‘Big Data’ into its factories and dealerships to become more efficient and sustainable in all parts of the car manufacturing process, not just the engine.
The interior of the new ‘Clio’ is made up of new fabrics of 100% vegetable origin, which is the first car to have these properties. It also has a hybrid E-Tech engine and sportier finishes that give it an elegant yet youthful look. The ‘Espace’, for its part, sports a new look with an SUV exterior shell, and a more spacious interior. It also has a hybrid engine.
Another of the important novelties presented by the French company is the strong investment in the construction of 200 fast charging points throughout Europe, 40 of them in Spain, as they consider it one of the main problem for the integration of electric vehicles. .

7

DACIA

Camperize the ‘Jogger’

According to Francisco Hidalgo, General Director of Dacia in Spain, the company’s success is due to knowing how to focus on the essentials, on what drivers really need.
DACIA is in the process of change, where the most innovative is the new identity, where they changed the logo, colors and finishes. One of its new features is the inclusion of new ‘Extreme’ finishes, with new colors and details that make the car shine, although if anything caught the attention of visitors to the Fair it was the new ‘Sleep’ pack , installed in the DACIA ‘Jogger’, the company’s first hybrid. The ‘Sleep Pack’ allows the ‘Jogger’ to be converted into a camper, turning the boot and rear seats into a bed for two people.
For around €20,000 you can buy the cheapest ECO label on the market, thanks to the DACIA ‘Jogger’.
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8

SILENCE

The future is removable batteries

One of the factors that makes SILENCE stand out is the creation of batteries, for motorcycles and cars, that are removable. To avoid problems with the infrastructure of charging points for electric vehicles, for a subscription, you can exchange the spent battery for a renewed one at any station that offers the service. This also affects the price of the motorcycle, which is relatively low because you are paying for the ‘exterior’ of the vehicle and not the engine (or battery in this case). One of the details that attracted the most attention is the possibility of changing the battery, both in cars and motorcycles, in less than 30 seconds, so the process is fast and agile.