Cupra recently released some images of its concept EV, the Urban Reel. The pictures show a mean-looking sports car, with outrageous lines and body panels. It’s reportedly electric as well, possibly ushering in a new era of affordable all-electric sports cars. Truly so far there isn’t another contender. The UrbanReel is an amazing concept, and hopefully, it goes as fast as it looks. The Urban Reel is Cupra’s latest addition to its versatile lineup, but unfortunately, we won’t see it until 2025. It’s obviously no Rimac Nevera, but here’s all we know about it so far.

What exactly is Cupra?

Cupra is the performance brand of SEAT, a Spanish carmaker under the umbrella of Volkswagen. At the moment it makes performance variants of SEAT cars including the Formentor SUV, an electric hatchback called the Born, a hybrid called the Leon, and a crossover SUV called the Ateca. The brand is clearly no stranger to electric cars, and unfortunately, none of its lineup will be sold in the US. However, being that some of its cars, like the Born, are based on VW platforms, it’s possible there could be some version sold in the states.

UrbanReel is built to race

Cupra’s Urban Reel is obviously a born racecar, and it only takes a second to notice. It’s a two-door hatchback, with a massive wing tacked to the rear, with a Cupra emblem-shaped brake light in the center. The UrbanReel is a fully electric car, expecting to generate a maximum of 430 horsepower. Sharp contours shape the front end, surrounding a massive grille while the wheels are flush and snug within subtle wheel arches. The UrbanReel exudes pure aggression and is completely affordable at $30,000. Whether or not it uses dual motors to make its power is unknown, but for its horsepower, a dual-motor setup would make sense.

Does the UrbanReel have any “real” competition?

Cupra expects the UrbanReel to hit 62 mph in 3.2 seconds. At the moment, in its price range, the UrbanReel doesn’t have much competition. The only car that could compete against the UrbanReel in both performance and price is the Tesla Model 3, but not together. While the Model 3 starts at $34,000, to beat the UrbanReel requires its dual-motor for an extra $15,000. Audi, Jaguar and BMW have released electric cars but not on the same caliber as Cupra expects the UrbanReel to be.

However, there are some cars coming out in the near future that may serve to offer some playful banter. Lucid, Kia, Lotus, Mercedes, BMW and others are offering electric cars with a sporty edge over the next few years. They won’t be cheap, but the UrbanReel may be able to compete against some of them.

Is UrbanReel coming to the United States?

Cupra’s UrbanReel probably isn’t coming to the states, as it is now. There aren’t any emissions standards to meet with electric vehicles, so it’s feasible the car could make the trip overseas. However, in order to sell it may need to go under the VW badge, under a different name. Regardless, as long as it’s the same car, it doesn’t really matter what badge is on it.