Skoda has become the first part of the Volkswagen Group to break cover with its version of the company's budget electric car. Called the Epiq, the car will provide the basic platform for other similar models from Volkswagen itself and SEAT.
The race to produce smaller EV’s with reasonable ranges and, even more importantly, lower prices is central to the future of the world motor industry. However, as we pointed out recently, the Chinese company BYD is likely to be the winner of that race with a new small EV due in Ireland early next year, with a price tag of about €20,000.
The corporate announcement from Skoda mentions a price target of €25,000 for the Epiq in Europe, but that figure isn't mentioned in the information provided by Skoda Ireland, which will have to wait and see how its price negotiations with head office proceed.
The price target for the rest of Europe will be the one to aim for, however.
Right now the Epiq is still described as a "study" for what the final version will look like but you can take it the major decisions on design and technology have already been made.
The car is 4.1 metres long - pretty much the definitive length for budget EV’s - and is described as being capable of carrying five people. We are told the interior will be big for a car with such a compact size. For example, the boot will have a 490 litre capacity.
We don’t have details on battery sizes or capacities but Skoda claims the car will have "a maximum electric range of 400 kilometres".
The study images of the car suggest a pretty bold departure for Skoda styling with, for example, T-shaped LED headlights.
Skoda intends to launch the car in Europe next year, but it will be 2026 before we see it in Ireland.
