THE MANUFACTURING INTERVIEW:

PUTTING SPAIN – AND THE WORLD – ON ELECTRIC WHEELS

SEAT and CUPRA’s Interim CEO and Vice President for Production and Logistics, Markus Haupt, expands on the company’s electrification strategy, technology adoption and record success

WRITTEN BY: RACHAEL BROWN

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THE MANUFACTURING INTERVIEW

Markus Haupt,

Interim CEO and Vice President for Production and Logistics,

SEAT

THE MANUFACTURING INTERVIEW

are few industries undergoing a transformation quite as profound as the one we’re seeing in automotive manufacturing.

Putting Spain on electric wheels This year, SEAT celebrates its 75th Anniversary. Founded in 1950, it was Spain’s first family car manufacturer, before growing into a global, design-driven industry leader.

The move to electrification; the growth of hybrid and hydrogen fuel technologies; the introduction of Industry 4.0; shifting tariffs; evolving regulations; the need for circularity – all time-sensitive pursuits, posing phenomenal pressures.

Famously the company that ‘put the nation on wheels’ after the devastation of the Spanish Civil war, SEAT is seeking today to drive another motor revolution: mass EV adoption.

Through its “Future: Fast Forward” project in collaboration with the Volkswagen Group, SEAT is investing €10bn (US$10.8bn) in this future, which Markus describes as the biggest industrial project in Spain’s history.

The industry has had to transform and must continue to do so at a merciless pace.

Nobody knows this better than Markus Haupt, Interim CEO and Vice-President for Production and Logistics at SEAT and CUPRA. He’s been in his role since 2022 and, over the past three years, has overseen a dramatic evolution across SEAT’s brands and manufacturing.

“We have two plants that have been converted to EVs, a battery cell plant in Sagunto that will come and lots of suppliers working with us,” he continues.

On top of this, the company has introduced new EV models like the CUPRA Tavascan and the CUPRA DarkRebel digital show car, an envisionment of the future of the brand’s design that showcases the stylish and innovative future of EV’s.

“We are facing a huge transformation, not only in our industry but also in our home plant here in Martorell,” he explains.

“We are transforming half of the plant from 100% combustion and electrified cars to 50% new BEV cars, the urban EVs.

Across these brands, it’s clear this is not only a landmark project for automotive history but a deep part of the manufacturer’s commitment to Spanish society.

“This is a big responsibility. We have to transform our facilities, we have to transform our people and develop the biggest training map of our history.”

“We as an industry, especially at SEAT, are doing our homework,” Markus says. “We have two plants that have been converted to EVs, a battery cell plant in Sagunto that will come. We are committed to

Central to this transformation is the electrification of SEAT’s vehicle fleet, with progress continuing at a lightning fast pace in the automaker’s country of origin: Spain.

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MARKUS HAUPT

TITLE : INTERIM CEO AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR PRODUCTION AND LOGISTICS

COMPANY: SEAT AND CUPRA INDUSTRY: AUTOMOTIVE

Markus Haupt is Interim CEO of S EAT and CUPRA. Over the course of two decades with the Volkswagen Group, he has led major production projects across Europe, specialising in prototypes, process management and electric mobility. Previously, he was President of Volkswagen Navarra. manufacturingdigital. com

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THE MANUFACTURING INTERVIEW