Skoda Auto in 2019 announced the Skoda ‘INDIA 2.0’ project which includes launching new Skoda cars and doubling their dealership network in our country. The India 2.0 project headed by Skoda Auto also includes introducing new electric mobility solutions for the mass market in India.
Unlike other niche offerings in the segment, the Czech brand intends to make the electric-powered car a mass-market EV available at a relatively affordable price. The brand will be looking forward at localising the battery packs and other components to balance the economies of scale and keep the prices low. Localisation will also help save the company on import duties and allow the company to receive Govt. subsidies, under the FAME scheme. The 15th edition of the Auto Expo 2020 held in Delhi, saw a surge of battery-electric vehicles, and India is likely to develop a flourishing electric ecosystem in the near future.
Skoda Auto, in the international market, has already introduced the CITIGOe iV, the brand’s first all-electric vehicle. The CITIGOe iV is positioned as a zero-emission city speedster and measures in at 3,597mm long and 1,645 mm wide targeted at customers residing in urban areas. The Skoda CITIGOe iV is a four-seater production car powered by a 61 kW electric motor paired to a 36.8 kWh lithium-ion battery that claims a range of up to 265 km on a single charge in the WLTP cycle. The electric powertrain produces 210 Nm of torque and the CITIGOe iV can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 12.5 seconds with a top speed of 130 kmph.
The brand has also revealed the Skoda Enyaq iV which is Skoda’s first all-electric production model-based electric SUV based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB (Modularer E-Antriebs-Baukasten) Modular Electric car platform and features large SUV styling with spacious interiors as well as powerful electric powertrain with a long driving range of around 500 km and fast charging capabilities. The Enyaq iV measures 4,648 mm long, 1,877 mm wide and has a height of 1,618 mm and comes with three battery sizes, five power variant and two drivelines.
Speculation is that both the CITIGOe iV and the Enyaq will be too costly for the Indian market and the brand is likely to bring a heavily localised model for the Indian market to effectively price it as affordable.
Skoda CITIGOe iV
Skoda Enyaq iV