Skoda’s first production model based on the MEB modular electric car platform has been revealed in camouflaged pictures. Skoda says is Enyaq SUV will be ideally suited for long-distance journeys as it boasts long ranges of up to 500 km in the WLTP cycle and fast charging. It is expected to arrive to European markets in late 2020, and the estimated to be around €40,000 ($43,000).
The electrified SUV is 4,648 mm long, 1,877 mm wide and has a height of 1,618 mm. It has a wheelbase of 2,765 mm and a boot capacity of 585 litres. The loading sill, which is set low for an SUV, enables effortless loading, even of heavy or bulky items.
The Skoda Enyaq iV will be the first MEB-based Group vehicle in Europe to roll off the production line outside of Germany. It is set to be built at Skoda’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav sharing a line with models that are based on the MQB platform.
The vehicle’s world premiere will also mark the start of advance sales; serial production of the Skoda Enyaq Iv will start at the end of 2020. Its market launch is scheduled to take place at the beginning of 2021. A ‘Founder’s Edition’ equipped with special features and a different look will be limited to 1,895 units, commemorating the founding of the company 125 years ago.
In the entry-level versions, a rear motor drives the rear wheels. The more powerful versions feature a second electric motor at the front to transmit torque to the road. In its most powerful variant, the Skoda Enyaq iV can even tow loads of up to 1,200 kg if required.
A total of five different power variants and three battery sizes provide fun yet sustainable driving. Depending on the version chosen, either the rear wheels or all four wheels are driven. Thanks to highly efficient batteries, the low rolling resistance tyres (5.9 per mille) and aerodynamics that are outstanding for an SUV (cd starting from 0.27), the Skoda Enyaq iV can cover ranges of up to 500* km in the WLTP cycle.
The entry-level model is the Skoda Enyaq iV 50; its lithium-ion battery has a gross capacity of 55 kWh (net: 52 kWh). The rear-mounted electric motor has an output of 109 kW, offering a maximum range of up to 340 km. This increases up to 390 km in the 132-kW ENYAQ iV 60 fitted with a 62-kWh battery (net: 58 kWh). The rear-wheel-drive Enyaq iV 80 delivering 150 kW has the highest range of up to 500 km in the WLTP cycle.
Its 82-kWh battery (net: 77 kWh) is also used by the two versions equipped with a second electric motor and thus all-wheel drive: the 80X and the vRS, which deliver 195 kW and 225 kW respectively. The top-of-the-range model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.2 seconds and has a top speed of 180 km/h. The maximum range of both all-wheel-drive variants is up to 460 km.
The Skoda Enyaq iV can be charged in three different ways. In addition to the conventional 230-volt household plug socket with an AC output of 2.3 kW, the vehicle can also be conveniently topped up overnight at home using a wall box delivering up to 11 kW. This takes six to eight hours depending on the size of the battery.
DC fast-charging stations with a charging output of 125 kW are the third option. These can recharge the Enyaq iV’s battery from 10% to 80 per cent in just 40 minutes.
The name of the new Skoda Enyaq is derived from the Irish name ‘enya’, meaning ‘source of life’. Enya itself comes from the Irish Gaelic word ‘Eithne’, meaning ‘essence’, ‘spirit’ or ‘principle’. These different meanings allow different perspectives on the name of ŠKODA’s new SUV. The ‘source of life’ symbolises the car manufacturer’s entry into the new era of electromobility.
