Skoda launches 'iV' electric sub-brand and plug-in hybrid Superb

Skoda has announced its new ‘iV’ electric sub-brand alongside its first plug-in hybrid vehicles at a media event in Bratislava.

The Czech Volkswagen subsidiary kicked the new iV name off with the reveal of two plug-in hybrid vehicles – the Superb iV sedan and Citigo iV (the brand’s Volkswagen Up! city-car equivalent).

The plug-in hybrid Superb is planned to be offered with just one drivetrain, a 155kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine & dual-clutch transmission, complimented by an electric motor and 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack located under the boot floor.

Skoda says the Superb iV should have a fully-electric range of around 55km and the motor has its own power outputs of 85kW/330Nm. In ‘hybrid mode’ combined power output is boosted to 160kW.

Skoda says the battery can be charged in four hours from a regular (European) wall outlet.

The Superb iV uses lithium-ion batteries to support its plug-in hybrid systems, placed under the boot floor.

The Superb iV will premier new electrified design cues, like a slick new grille and fan-style alloy wheels like the ones seen on contemporary Mercedes and Hyundai electric models.

The brand also unveiled the Citigo iV, its first fully-electric model. Based on the Volkswagen Up!, the Skoda Citigo iV will have a 60kW/210Nm electric motor. Its 36.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack is located under the floor of the car, and the Czech brand quotes is maximum range at 265km on a single charge.

The Citigo will be Skoda's first fully-electric vehicle.

Using a charging wall box, Skoda says the Citigo iV can be charged from zero to 80 per cent in just over four hours, or to 100 per cent in five and a half hours.

It may be some time for Skoda’s Australian operation to roll out its electric strategy, with spokesperson, Kurt McGuiness, telling CarsGuide that while Skoda was “an important part” of VW Group’s electric roll-out strategy, any solid electric vehicle plans would likely come after Volkswagen’s own I.D. brand lands down under some time in 2022 or beyond.

When quizzed on whether there would be a chance for the all-electric Citigo to come to our market at all in the future, McGuiness followed up by saying it was completely ruled out, with the group focusing on only bringing MEB (Volkswagen’s new electric vehicle architecture) EVs to our market in the future.

As the Citigo is on an older VW group platform, it has been ruled out for an Australian introduction.

Would you like to see the introduction of Skoda’s electric models in Australia? Tell us what you think in the comments below.