A very significant change electric cars have made to car production is to allow designers much greater rein in the way they approach their work. Sweeping lines and much more subtle profiles are now more the norm, as is the case with Skoda's Vision 7 S concept car.
Skoda isn't saying it, but this car could be the replacement for the Kodiaq. Right now, it's a design exercise but car companies don't spend this much on design development without having a clear idea of where it's going to fit into production schedules. As it happens, the Kodiaq is due to go fully electric in the next few years and these sketches are probably not far off the mark in terms of what that new model will look like. Cars like the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq have not just shaken up the market, they've also prompted competitors to be a good deal more adventurous.
More details of the car are due to be released at the end of the month but what we know so far is that this is a large seven-seater SUV that will major on the current trend to have a very large infotainment screen as its central internal feature. Apparently the screen will adjust from a portrait to a landscape setting when the car is stopped or being charged so that entertainment for all occupants becomes a welcome distraction .
Skoda is also planning to offer a child seat between the two seats in the second row, a place it believes may be the safest place to have a child seat. It is also looking at offering a bassinet (those small cots used on long-haul flights) arrangement.
The car is also likely to be fitted with removable back packs that are strapped to the back seats and also to have smartphone fittings in the rear seats.
