Griffiths said in an interview with the U.K. publication Autocar that if Cupra enters the U.S. market, it will do so only with larger, full-electric models. 

“You need a car in the U.S. that’s fit for the U.S. and electric,” he told Autocar. “A U.S. electric car is generally bigger, so it will be a next generation of electric cars that would be based on the SSP platform from VW.” That platform is expected some time after 2025. 

Griffiths said the timing of a U.S. market entry would be linked to Cupra’s move to an electric-only brand, which he has said will be by 2030. Cupra, as a new brand, also needs to establish itself in Europe, he added.  

“The investments for making cars ready for America are considerable, and I think we need to be stronger first in Europe and make sure we’ve done our homework,” he said, adding that Cupra was seeking a European market share of 3 to 4 percent. 

Cupra’s market share at the end of February was 1.2 percent, according to industry group ACEA, a 60 percent increase from 2022.

The North American market has long been coveted by sporty European brands. The Stellantis group’s Alfa Romeo brand first effort ended in 1995, but it returned to the U.S. in 2014, first with the niche 4C coupe, then with the midsize Giulia sedan and Stelvio crossover. The compact Tonale crossover debuted this year, and brand CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato said in January that a large full-electric vehicle will be developed by 2027 to expand in the U.S.

Renault’s Alpine brand is also planning a U.S. expansion starting in 2027 or 2028. CEO Laurent Rossi said in January that the U.S. market will be crucial for Alpine’s ambitious revenue and sales goals. The brand has aspirations to sell two models in the U.S., a midsize full-electric crossover and a larger, similar model, starting in 2027 or 2028.