Skoda Enyaq pure EV on sale in 2021
Sharp looks and decent range feature
Skoda has released teaser sketches of its upcoming Enyaq pure-electric EV, which will be unveiled in virtually production form in Prague on September 1, 2020. Given that it is going on sale in 2021, that is highly likely.
The Enyaq is based on the Volkswagen Group (of which Skoda is a member) MEB platform. That stands for Modular Electric Toolkit, which is an EV platform that is shared with Volkswagen Group members Audi, Seat and Volkswagen. The idea is that sharing the basic chassis and underpinnings of the common platform will offer economies of scale. But VW is keen to stress that each brand will be able to use a unique body form that conforms to its brand ‘look’. Also, power from the batteries can be varied according to purpose — a city car will get smaller outputs whereas an SUV, which is the Enyaq’s brief, will get higher outputs.
If the Enyaq looks anything like the dramatic sketches, it’ll have serious road presence. Compared to a similarly sized combustion engine SUV, the Enyaq will sit a bit higher because of the battery pack mounted in the floor, which saves space. But Skoda says the SUV’s longer wheelbase will make up for that taller stance. Very short front and rear overhangs will also give the Enyaq a more dynamic look as well as improving offroad performance going up or down sharp inclines.
Karl Neuhold, head of exterior design at SKODA, said: “With the Enyaq iV, we are again building on the emotive SKODA design language that characterises the Scala, the Kamiq and the new, fourth-generation Octavia. The Enyaq iV also features sculptural lines, clear surfaces and crystalline elements that draw inspiration from Bohemian crystal art. Its proportions, however, differ from those of our previous SUV models: the Enyaq iV has a shorter front end and an elongated roofline. This creates a very dynamic look and transforms it into a proverbial ‘space shuttle’.” That’s a brave claim.
We don’t yet have an official guide on the Enyaq’s mechanicals, but with the Volkswagen ID 3, which rides on the MEB platform, already on the road, we have some good clues. The ID 3 uses a rear-mounted electric motor and features three different battery and range options, which deliver 205 miles, 260 miles or 320 miles. That should give some sense of what the Enyaq will deliver when customer order books are opened. While there have been no official announcement of pricing, rumours are putting it in the £40,000 ballpark.
