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Written by Jack Rix
Even a value-driven brand like Skoda can"t avoid the inevitability of electrification. CEO Bernhard Maier has confirmed that the first plug-in hybrid Skodas will arrive in three years time (a Superb for western markets, but an Octavia and Kodiaq for China), followed closely by a pure-electric vehicle based heavily on the VW I.D. concept revealed on the adjacent Paris show stand."We have decided the first plug-in vehicle will be on the market from 2019 onwards, and first battery electric vehicle will then follow quite shortly afterwards," Maier told us. "We must focus on our SUV offensive, and then we have to focus on electrification."Oh yes, between now and 2019 there will be no idle hands at Skoda. The seven-seat Kodiaq, making its world debut in Paris, is just the beginning of an SUV bonanza. About a year from now a more conventional-looking replacement for the Yeti will be launched (think less boxy, shrunken Kodiaq), followed by a smaller Nissan Juke rival and a coupe version of the Kodiaq (China-only, boo) in 2018.But, it"s with its pure-electric car, in 2020, where Skoda really starts a new chapter. "We need some technological jumps to cope with the biggest challenges we face for our EV. The first is range, the second is charging infrastructure, the third is weight and overall it is cost," Maier explained. "In all aspects we expect improvements, and with that it will be accessible for Skoda and its customers to go down the EV route."
Date written: 30 Sep 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 5238
Even a value-driven brand like Skoda can"t avoid the inevitability of electrification. CEO Bernhard Maier has confirmed that the first plug-in hybrid Skodas will arrive in three years time (a Superb for western markets, but an Octavia and Kodiaq for China), followed closely by a pure-electric vehicle based heavily on the VW I.D. concept revealed on the adjacent Paris show stand."We have decided the first plug-in vehicle will be on the market from 2019 onwards, and first battery electric vehicle will then follow quite shortly afterwards," Maier told us. "We must focus on our SUV offensive, and then we have to focus on electrification."Oh yes, between now and 2019 there will be no idle hands at Skoda. The seven-seat Kodiaq, making its world debut in Paris, is just the beginning of an SUV bonanza. About a year from now a more conventional-looking replacement for the Yeti will be launched (think less boxy, shrunken Kodiaq), followed by a smaller Nissan Juke rival and a coupe version of the Kodiaq (China-only, boo) in 2018.But, it"s with its pure-electric car, in 2020, where Skoda really starts a new chapter. "We need some technological jumps to cope with the biggest challenges we face for our EV. The first is range, the second is charging infrastructure, the third is weight and overall it is cost," Maier explained. "In all aspects we expect improvements, and with that it will be accessible for Skoda and its customers to go down the EV route."
Date written: 30 Sep 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 5238