Skoda’s history of producing hot RS versions of its mainstream models will spread into its future electric models, Auto Express can reveal.
The Czech firm’s first all-electric car will be a production version of the Vision E concept revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and due on sale at the end of 2020. It’ll be based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric car platform alongside VW’s I.D. models.
• Skoda Vision E concept review
Speaking to Auto Express, Alain Favey, Skoda’s board member for sales and marketing, confirmed: “There will be electric versions of vRS – eRS. The logic is the same – it’s not about performance as such. Our most powerful engine is 245bhp so by any stretch of imagination we’re not talking about Ferrari.
“It’s about the experience and that’s something we can do very well in our future electric cars. Definitely we will have RS versions of our electric cars – it’s part of our brand. It’s about the look, it’s about the sporty feeling when you’re driving the car, it’s about the seats, it’s about the experience and I think that’s what our customers like.”
However, Favey confirmed that Skoda will only offer its EV with one battery output, hinting that the eRS version will focus on handling and cosmetic enhancements rather than increased performance. The unnamed production EV is expected to look very much like the Vision E concept, with Favey saying: “Vision E will give you a good idea of what our electric car will look like.”
Favey also confirmed it will have a range of over 300 miles, saying: “If it doesn’t have a range of 300 miles we shouldn’t come to the market – it’ll be 300 miles plus.” The new EV will also have a premium price, with Favey saying that he expected it to match up with the more expensive Kodiaq models, meaning a starting price around the £30,000 mark.
Skoda’s dealers will be gearing up for the new EV’s launch with an all-electric version of the Citigo, due for launch late next year. “We have two years to improve the competence of our dealer network [in relation to EVs],” said Favey. He was also expecting dealers to offer customers high-speed charging, referring to that as a business opportunity for the network.
Meanwhile, there’s plenty of life in the vRS brand, too, with Favey hinting that a vRS version of the next Fabia, due in 2021, is on the cards “We’re working on different options including a vRS,” he told us.
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