The return to rear-wheel drive after a 30-year hiatus brings along an RS variant with 302 horsepower.
Skoda hasn’t built a rear-wheel-drive vehicle since the early 1990s when the 105/120/125 series of rear-engined RWD cars was discontinued to make way for the Favorit with the engine in the front driving the front wheels. The Mladá Boleslav marque is returning to its roots, but with an electric twist as the Enyaq iV will eschew the combustion engine for an electric motor.
While the pint-sized Citigo iV will go down in history as Skoda’s first EV, the Enyaq iV will actually be the first model to be developed right from the start as an electric vehicle. It will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform and take the shape as Skoda’s variant of the VW ID.4. The Czech automaker is now kicking off the teaser campaign by sharing images of camouflaged prototypes depicting the zero-emissions SUV.
Skoda is also being quite generous with the technical specifications as we get to learn about the Enyaq’s dimensions: 4648 millimeters (183 inches) long, 1877 millimeters (73.9 inches) wide, and 1618 millimeters (63.7 inches) tall, with a generous wheelbase of 2765 millimeters (108.9 inches) and a cargo volume of 585 liters (20.6 cubic feet) with the rear seats in place. Unsurprisingly, it has roughly the same dimensions as its VW cousin.
The Enyaq will be available with a choice between three battery sizes, kicking off with the 55-kWh pack offering 340 kilometers (211 miles) of range per the WLTP cycle. This base version is rear-wheel drive and comes with a rear-mounted electric motor developing 146 horsepower (109 kW). Step up to the midrange model and you’ll get a larger 62-kWh battery with enough juice for 390 kilometers (242 miles), feeding a rear electric motor producing 177 hp (132 kW).
Electrifying Skodas:
If you want the longest range possible, the rear-wheel-drive variant with the 82-kWh battery is the one to get as it offers 311 miles (500 kilometers) between charges while producing 201 hp (150 kW) from its rear-mounted electric motor.
Skoda has also engineered the Enyaq to accommodate an all-wheel-drive layout with dual electric motors, one in the front and one at the back, with either 261 hp (195 kW) or a punchy 302 hp (225 kW). The latter is effectively the company’s most powerful production car ever and is suitably going to be badged as an “RS” model. It will do the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in a respectable 6.2 seconds before topping out at 112 mph (180 km/h). Both all-paw SUVs will cover 460 kilometers (286 miles).
Owners will be able to charge the battery pack through a conventional household socket with an AC output of 2.3 kW or by using a wallbox that delivers up to 11 kW. The Enyaq is being developed to support fast-charging with an output of 125 kW, in which case the battery can be recharged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 40 minutes.
While images of the interior have not been provided, Skoda says its electric SUV has a free-standing 13-inch touchscreen and can be optionally ordered with a head-up display supporting augmented reality. For the first time in a production car, the Enyaq will use olive leather as part of the company’s efforts to use more sustainable materials throughout the interior.
The Skoda Enyaq will be built at home in Mladá Boleslav from late 2020 and will go on sale early next year. A fancy “Founder’s Edition” will be available in 1,895 units with a slightly different look and generous equipment to mark the brand’s birth 125 years ago.
See Its VW Cousin:
Surprising, practical and Simply Clever: the ENYAQ iV embodies electromobility à la ŠKODA
First ŠKODA production model based on the MEB electric car platform
› Rear- or four-wheel drive, a range of up to 500* km and excellent driving performance
› Three battery sizes, five power variants and fast-charging option for even shorter charging times
› Emotive design, plenty of space, 13-inch display and state-of-the-art connectivity
Mladá Boleslav, 7 May 2020 – Emotive, efficient, electrifying: the new ŠKODA ENYAQ iV marks a pioneering step forward in the Czech carmaker’s electromobility strategy. The first ŠKODA production model based on Volkswagen Group’s MEB modular electric car platform combines brand-typical virtues such as a generous amount of space and an emotive design with fun yet sustainable driving. There is a choice of three battery sizes and five power variants, depending on requirements. The all-electric SUV is set to be built at ŠKODA’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav, making it the first MEB-based Volkswagen Group vehicle in Europe to be produced outside Germany.
ŠKODA AUTO CEO, Bernhard Maier, said, “The ENYAQ iV marks the beginning of a new era for ŠKODA, it is the figurehead of our E-Mobility campaign. With it, we’re making E-Mobility Simply Clever thanks to long ranges and short charging times. At the same time, the ENYAQ iV takes ŠKODA-typical virtues such as superior interior space, a trendsetting design and maximum functionality to a new level. Our first all-electric e-model based on Volkswagen Group’s modular electric car platform will be built at our main plant in Mladá Boleslav, at the heart of ŠKODA. This is an important step towards securing the future of the location and safeguarding jobs in the region.”
The new ENYAQ iV is a typical ŠKODA, but with a completely new drive concept. The Czech manufacturer’s first production model based on the MEB modular electric car platform is also ideally suited for long-distance journeys as it boasts long ranges of up to 500* km in the WLTP cycle and fast charging. Due to the vehicle’s concept, the designers were able to arrange the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV’s interior in a completely new manner. This results in even more space for passengers and their luggage despite the car’s compact dimensions, whilst also presenting a look that is as emotive as it is modern. In addition, the ENYAQ iV offers state-of-the-art connectivity as well as infotainment solutions and ŠKODA-typical Simply Clever features.
The Czech carmaker’s first 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 l. The loading sill, which is set low for an SUV, enables effortless loading, even of heavy or bulky items.
*all figures given are provisional
The ŠKODA 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 ŠKODA’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 ŠKODA 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, thus building a technical bridge to the history of the car manufacturer. The more powerful versions feature a second electric motor at the front to transmit torque to the road even more efficiently. In its most powerful variant, the ŠKODA 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 ŠKODA ENYAQ iV can cover ranges of up to 500* km in the WLTP cycle.
Christian Strube, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development, said, “The many possibilities of the modular electric car platform allow us to offer the perfect ENYAQ iV for a wide range of requirements and applications. This includes an entry-level version for families, which offers a lot of space and functionality, a variant for the long-distance driver for whom the greatest range is key, and a model for the customer with sporting ambitions who is looking for maximum performance even in an electric SUV.”
The entry-level model is the ŠKODA 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 ŠKODA 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*.
A highlight of the new ŠKODA ENYAQ iV is its innovatively designed interior, which conveys an all-new feeling of spaciousness. The vehicle also offers state-of-the-art connectivity and infotainment solutions: The driver is shown all of the relevant information via a free-standing, 13-inch central display and, if desired, a head-up display with augmented reality. A permanent Internet connection ensures that all information is always up-to-date. With its generous amount of space, which exudes a lounge-like character, and a 585-litre boot, the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV is ideal for families and lifestyle-oriented customers looking for an electric vehicle that is both sustainable and fully suitable for everyday use. With the introduction of the ENYAQ iV, ŠKODA is also introducing a new concept for the interior: sustainable materials such as olive leather are used for the first time in a production car. Customers can also opt for other designs to suit their preferences.
Electrified vehicles from the ŠKODA iV family are a perfect blend of practical range, emotive design and great driving fun. On top of that, they are comfortable, quiet and sustainable, whilst also boasting particularly dynamic power delivery. The torque of an electric motor is available straight away, meaning cars can accelerate continuously and consistently without requiring any gear changes. State of-the-art connectivity featuring extensive vehicle networking and advanced assistance systems are as much a part of what a ŠKODA iV has to offer as excellent value for money and an even more spacious interior conveying a new lounge-like character.
By introducing the ENYAQ iV, ŠKODA is pressing ahead with its electromobility campaign, which began at the end of 2019 with the CITIGOe iV and the SUPERB iV. As part of the brand’s strategy, more than ten electrified iV models are scheduled to be launched between 2019 and the end of 2022. 125 years after the company was founded, ŠKODA has entered the era of E-Mobility and is making it a central component of its DNA, and – now that electrified vehicles can offer ranges suitable for everyday use at affordable prices and charging infrastructures are continuously being improved – the timing could not be better.
As part of the largest investment programme in the company’s history to date, ŠKODA AUTO will have fed a total of two billion euros into the development of electrified models and the creation of a comprehensive ecosystem for new mobility solutions by 2021. For its development from a traditional car manufacturer into the ‘Simply Clever company for the best mobility solutions’, sustainability plays an important role in production, sales as well as service.