Seven-seat SUV and estate part of four new Skoda electric cars by 2026
Combustion and hybrid cars to be refreshed, too
Skoda is to launch four new electric cars that will expand its pure-EV model range to six by 2026, as part of a €5.6bn investment by the Czech brand in e-mobility.
The quartet of new models will include small and mid-sized crossovers — the latter of which will replace the Karoq and be called “Elroq” — plus a larger seven-seat SUV and an estate car.
Prices in the UK have yet to be announced but the entry-level crossover will cost as little as €25,000 (£22,163) in Europe, according to Skoda, making it a much more affordable electric vehicle than many currently on the market. In terms of size, the car maker says it will be 4.1m in length and have the same luggage capacity as the Scala hatchback.
The addition of an electric estate car will be welcome news to many families as so far there have been few pure-electric models to launch with the practical bodystyle, the MG5 EV and Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo being the first of their type to hit the market. Skoda’s entry will be 4.7m in length and introduced in 2026.
The large electric SUV will be based on the Vision 7S Concept and measure 4.9m.
These will join refreshed versions of the Enyaq iV and Enyaq Coupe iV electric cars, which are set to go on sale in 2025. Updates will include and updated infotainment system, improved battery management for increased range and battery preconditioning, allowing speedier rapid charging when the location is set via the sat nav system.
Batteries for all the pure-electric Skoda models will be manufactured at the Volkswagen Group’s Mladá Boleslav plant in the Czech Republic. So far the facility has produced more the 500,000 battery systems, for both pure-electric and plug-in hybrid models from the Skoda, VW, Audi and Seat brands, though production will be expanded from 1,000 to 1,500 units per day.
New design direction
The refreshed Enyaq models will take on a new design language called “Modern Solid” that will characterise the additional electric models.
This follows a relaunch of Skoda’s corporate identity in 2022 and will include some additional tweaks to the badging on future models, including switching from the Skoda flying arrow logo on to bonnet and steering wheel to “SKODA” lettering on pure-electric models.
Skoda will also be introducing a “Sound Identity” that “represents the brand in sonic form”, inspired by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana’s work “Vltava”. It will be heard on adverts at other Skoda “touchpoints”, as well as in the cars themselves.
Skoda’s model launch is part of a new strategy to target customers it calls “Contemporary Explorers”; those who uphold traditional values and beliefs but are curious for new experiences and have a strong desire to explore.
Customer-honed tech
In an effort to understand customer experience, and in shaping the new strategy, Skoda launched a new 1,000 square-metre “Holistic User Experience” facility just outside Prague, dedicated to understanding how customers engage with the brand at all stages from purchase through ownership, and benchmarking rival brands.
Part of the research has resulted in a new phone app — to launch by the end of the year — that includes Skoda news, vehicle delivery updates and a customer loyalty scheme.
Another innovation includes “Pay to Park”, which enables Skoda owners to pay for parking spaces via the infotainment screen in the car. It’s available in nine markets today and will be rolling out to other countries over time, though its launch in the UK is yet to be confirmed.
Combustion cars being refresh, too
Far from ditching its combustion-engined and plug-in hybrid models ahead of the government’s ban on their sale in 2030 and 2035 respectively, Skoda says these options will “continue to be an important mainstay of the company’s model portfolio during the transition to all-electric mobility” as they “fulfil the needs of customers as markets transition to e-mobility at different speeds.”
As such, new generations of the Superb and Kodiaq are due to be launched later this year, while updated versions of the popular Octavia, Kamiq and Scala are also set to join the fray.
“With six new all-electric models across all segments by 2026, Škoda Auto is moving even faster towards sustainable, electric, individual mobility,” said Klaus Zellmer, chairman of the board of Škoda Auto.
“Together with our new and highly efficient conventional and hybrid-powered models, we are offering the best of both worlds – meeting our existing and new customers’ needs around the globe in this time of transition.”
Martin Jahn, Skoda Auto board member for sales and marketing, added: “By 2026, our new battery-electric models will cover all vehicle segments that are relevant to our customers.
“We’ll be providing customers with the means to explore the world in style – sustainably, safely and confidently with products that feature our new Modern Solid design.”
Follow @wdron Tweet to @wdronRelated articles
- If you were interested in Skoda’s four new electric cars, you might like to check out our review of the 2021 Skoda Enyaq iV
- Also, don’t miss this story on Skoda’s deal to sell its Russian assets in the wake of the Ukraine invasion
- Watch: Skoda slides into record books with 4.6-mile drift on ice
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