VW Group's Cupra to enter the U.S. market as an EV brand.

Volkswagen Group's Cupra brand will enter the U.S. market in the next 10 years, first with two electric SUVs.

This information was revealed on Thursday by Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths during a presentation of the company's 2023 financial results.

Cupra was initially launched as a performance sub-brand of VW Group's Spanish brand SEAT, but was re-launched in 2018 as an independent brand offering a range of sporty and emotional vehicles with striking designs.

More recently, the company has added electric vehicles to its lineup and established its own team in the electric off-road racing series "Extreme E."

Cupra operates primarily in Europe, but has already entered several international markets, including Mexico and other Latin American countries. In launching in the U.S., Cupra will first operate on the East and West Coasts and in select states along the Sunbelt.

Griffith has confirmed at least two models, both EVs, one of which will be an electric version of the Volmenter, a compact crossover related to the Volkswagen Tiguan. The current Formentar, Cupra's first stand-alone model, is already four years old, so the electric Formentar is likely to be based on a next-generation design. Another model Griffiths has confirmed is a large SUV to be produced in North America.

He said the Cupra vehicle will be offered in the U.S. via a "new distribution model." This could refer to a subscription model or direct sales skipping franchised dealers.

Cupra sold 230,739 vehicles last year. This is a new record for this emerging brand and represents a 50.9% increase over the previous year.