The new Electric Vision7S concept car from SKODA
The Skoda Vision 7S concept shows an electric seven-seat SUV that will be on the market within the next three years, as well as a completely new design language for the company.
The Czech company will release three new electric cars by 2026: the Vision 7S, a much-anticipated "entry-level" hatchback, and a compact SUV. All three versions will use the Volkswagen Group's electric MEB platform, which is also used by the current Skoda Enyaq iV and Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV.
The Vision 7S concept shows that Skoda's new design language goes far beyond the aesthetic parts that will be used in its cars. It has a new logo, a new "corporate identity," and even new official colours.
All of this is part of Skoda's bold plan, called "Next Level - Skoda Strategy 2030." Over the next five years, the company plans to invest £4.8 billion in e-mobility and £600 million in digitalization, with the goal of having more than 70% of its sales be all-electric vehicles by 2030.
It's a lot to take in all at once. So let's go over all of it.
Seven gold seats are the idea for the Skoda Vision 7S.
The Vision 7S and the Enyaq iV will be the two most expensive electric cars that Skoda makes. Skoda hasn't said how big it will be, but it will be the biggest electric model the company has ever made and will use the longest version of the MEB platform. We think the platform will be about the same size as the Volkswagen ID Buzz with a longer wheelbase.
It will have a huge 89kWh battery under the floor, the largest we've seen in a MEB vehicle. The company says this will give it a range of more than 372 miles (or 600km, if you want a nice round figure). Also, it will be able to charge at up to 200kW.
Johannes Neff, who is in charge of technical development at Skoda, said that the Vision 7S requirements "highlight the technological abilities of the Modular Electrification Toolkit."
That's because Skoda wanted the production model based on the Vision 7S (which will likely get a real name starting with E and ending with Q) to be the company's flagship model, so it wanted to show off the new design features in the best way possible.
The next model will be an electric version of the Skoda Karoq, which is a family SUV, or the company's version of the Volkswagen ID 3 and Cupra Born. When it comes out in 2024, the machine is likely to be called the Elroq.
Skoda is also making an entry-level car that will be similar to the Cupra UrbanRebel and the Volkswagen ID 1. It will be built in Spain on a special platform called "MEB Entry," and it will be similar to the Cupra UrbanRebel. When it comes out in 2025, the machine is expected to cost about £17,000.
Skoda hasn't shown anything yet, but Volkswagen and Cupra have shown off their entry-level cars. But the company has said it will always try to be different from the other cars in the Volkswagen Group, and we expect that the Skoda version will have the most space inside of the three.
Skoda's plans for electric cars don't end there. It hasn't said much about the EVs it plans to release after 2026, but you can expect it to keep putting out about one model a year. The Enyaq iV and Enyaq Coupe iV may also get updates to bring them in line with the new design language.