Škoda is currently racing in two opposite directions at once in the electric-car world. At one end it is chasing the booming market for small, affordable EVs; at the other, it is preparing the biggest and most expensive electric vehicle it has ever built. Here is how both stories fit together.
First, the small and affordable bet
After the runaway success of the Enyaq, Škoda landed another hit with its smaller sibling, the Elroq — currently the best-selling electric car in Europe. That position could soon shift, because the company is bringing out an even smaller car, the Epiq. It will have a slightly smaller range, but a significantly lower price — just around $30,000 in US money, though it won't be sold in North America.
On the outside the Epiq is similar in size to the Fabia, yet inside it offers space closer to that of the Kamiq or Karoq. In the new category of more affordable electric cars it will compete for buyers against its own relatives, the VW ID.Polo and ID.Cross, possibly the Cupra Raval, and rivals from Renault and Kia. Strong sales are expected.
Now, the big bet at the other end — the Škoda Peaq
But Škoda isn't sitting idle. Even before the Epiq reaches showrooms, the company is already pulling the wraps off another model — and this one comes from the complete opposite end of the spectrum.
Despite its image as a budget brand, Škoda has no plans for its own version of the tiny Volkswagen ID.Every1 (or whatever that car ends up being called). Instead, it is preparing a vehicle that will be one of the highlights of the MEB platform used across the Volkswagen Group. The only larger car currently available on that proven, if ageing, platform is the retro-styled ID.Buzz van.
The Škoda Peaq will be a large family SUV, available in a seven-seat configuration, and is expected to measure 16 feet, 5 inches long. Given the platform, the technology should be largely similar to that of the Elroq and Enyaq, but the longer wheelbase raises hope for a bigger battery, like the one in the ID.Buzz and the large ID.7. After all, the Vision 7S concept SUV that Škoda has been teasing for a few years was already meant to carry an 89-kWh battery.
What the design will change
For the full technical details we'll have to wait for the Peaq's official reveal, expected soon. Even now, though, we can already form a good picture of how the new model will look.
Sketches released this week, together with photos of camouflaged prototypes, suggest the finished car will closely resemble the Vision 7S concept unveiled in 2022. Unlike the concept, however, the eight rectangular elements in the bumper — retained only on the smaller Epiq, where they lend a more rugged, almost off-road character — will likely be dropped. The Peaq is clearly aiming for a more minimalist elegance.
Otherwise, unsurprisingly, the Peaq bears a strong resemblance to the smaller Epiq — with the difference that the angular minimalism of the design language should look more balanced and graceful on a much larger body. What we certainly won't see on the production model are rear doors that open in the opposite direction or a futuristic interior with a seat on the centre tunnel.
The most expensive Škoda — and the big question
The carmaker has not yet shared anything about performance, features or pricing — but there's no reason to expect them to differ much from comparable models built on the same platform.
It will undoubtedly be the most expensive Škoda ever, and with it the brand may step into territory previously reserved for sub-premium names such as Volvo. The question is whether customers will warm to it. The success of the pricier versions of current top-of-the-line models — whether the electric Enyaq or the combustion-engined Kodiaq — suggests they just might.
