THE Skoda Enyaq iV It shares the same MEB super-platform with the future Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron electric SUVs, and it was up to the Czech brand to be the first to unveil the first electric vehicle of this type within the Volkswagen group.
In fact, this is just the beginning of a huge offensive by the German giant: by 2022, 27 MEB-derived models will be launched; in 2028 we will have 70 MEB models on sale!
The first to be known, the ID.3, is a family-friendly compact with a size similar to a Golf, so the Enyaq iV's increased dimensions surprise and demonstrate the platform's flexibility — MEB models can “stretch” up to 5.0 m long. The Czech SUV is much longer and taller, positioning itself, in dimensions, between a Skoda Karoq and a Kodiaq.
It is 4.65 m long, 1.87 m wide and 1.62 m high, dimensions that are not far from those found in an Audi Q5, Alfa Romeo Stelvio or Jaguar I-Pace. The 2.76 m wheelbase promises very generous internal dimensions, going against what Skoda has used to us in all its models.
We'll prove that in due course, but the 585 l advertised for the trunk exceeds most SUVs of equivalent dimensions (combustion or not).
Five performance levels, three batteries
Five versions are planned for the Skoda Enyaq iV, corresponding to five different levels of performance, and three different batteries in capacity:
- Enyaq iV 50 — 148 hp, 55 kWh battery, 340 km autonomy;
- Enyaq iV 60 — 179 hp, 62 kWh battery, 390 km autonomy;
- Enyaq iV 80 — 204 hp, 82 kWh battery, 500 km autonomy;
- Enyaq iV 80x — 265 hp, 82 kWh battery, 460 km autonomy;
- Enyaq iV RS — 306 hp, 82 kWh battery, 460 km autonomy.
Skoda Enyaq IV
The Enyaq iV 50, 60 and 80 only have an electric motor mounted on the rear axle, marking the return to Skoda of rear-wheel-drive models, something that hasn't happened since 1990. The Enyaq iV 80x and RS have an additional engine on the rear axle. the front axle, therefore having four-wheel drive.
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The Skoda Enyaq iV RS is also the most powerful Skoda model ever made. The 306 hp allows you to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in a hurried 6.2s and the top speed is limited to 180 km/h — the remaining Enyaq stay at 160 km/h.
Skoda Enyaq iV Founders Edition
Load Enyaq iV
The electric SUV originally allows charging of up to 50 kW, optionally rising to 100 kW when equipped with the 62 kW battery and up to a maximum of 125 kW with the 82 kW battery. In the latter case, charging the battery between 10% and 80% of its capacity takes 38 minutes.
It can also be charged via a household outlet or an 11 kW wallbox (the process takes between six and eight hours depending on battery size).
The “Simply Clever” details we are used to from Skoda are also evident when it comes to arranging the charging cables, with its own compartment under the trunk floor.
More firsts
Not only is it Skoda's (and Volkswagen group's) first electric SUV, but it also debuts some hitherto unheard of equipment for the Czech brand. Among them is the first Skoda to come equipped with a head up display with augmented reality function, with information to be “projected” onto the asphalt.
Predictably, it is also equipped with all kinds of driving assistants, which work together to enable semi-autonomous driving (level 2). As well as bringing numerous passive and active safety equipment, such as the Proactive Crew Protect Assist, which automatically pre-tensions the seat belts during emergency braking, and closes the windows and the panoramic roof, in case it detects an imminent collision, crash or rollover hazard.
The headlamps, both at the front and at the rear, are LED as standard, with a choice of Matrix LED headlamps at the front and full LED at the rear.
Inside
The Skoda Enyaq iV also expresses through its interior design and materials used its “greener” claims. The dash panel bets on a more refined style, with the infotainment system's rather generous 13″ central screen being highlighted. It is complemented by a small 5.3″ digital instrument panel.
The absence of a conventional cinematic chain has freed up space inside the Enyaq iV, and this could not be more evident in the increased storage spaces it has. Under the center console there is a space with a generous 11.4 l of available space, while under the front armrest there is a compartment with 6.2 l of capacity.
With Enyaq iV, Skoda also dispenses with traditional equipment levels. Instead, we will have “Design Selections”, which change the environment on board (colors, patterns and coatings), with 10 themes to choose from, inspired by modern interior environments. The names chosen as Loft, Studio, Lodge, Lounge or ecoSuite, give a more concrete idea of what it is all about.
The materials that accompany them are also more ecological, with the choice being natural materials (linings with a mixture of 40% of new wool), others processed in a more sustainable way (such as leather) and still others recycled.
When arrives?
The new Skoda Enyaq iV, the Czech brand's first electric SUV, will only arrive early next year. Prices or how the Portuguese range will be structured only closer to the launch date.