Skoda Peaq News

With the aim of putting the once dreaded concept of ‘range anxiety’ firmly in the rear view mirrors it seems electric vehicle hypermiling is a key promotional focus for carmakers around the world.Skoda is the latest brand to wring an extreme number of kilometres from a single EV battery charge, with a team of drivers pushing the recently introduced pure-electric Skoda Peaq seven-seat SUV 936km from the company’s Mladá Boleslav headquarters in northern Czechia, north-west through Germany to the Netherlands.The recently introduced Peaq already has an impressive WLTP-rated combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) range figure of 647 kilometres.Somehow the car’s 91kWh battery was able to cough up an additional 289km of range, setting a new seven-seat EV range record in the process.The run was supervised by certification authority TÜV SÜD with average energy use coming in at 9.2kWh/100km, an exceptional number for a fully-equipped, three-row SUV weighing in excess of two tonnes.Despite its close to 4.9-metre overall length the Czech maker’s new flagship boasts a drag-coefficient of 0.249, which surely assisted in the distance attempt.Skoda said company employees, Marek Jež and Jakub Krs, wanted to test themselves and the new SUV’s range potential.“The aim was to demonstrate what the technology can achieve when pushed to its limits.To maximise the range, we selected the most suitable route and, of course, adapted our driving style accordingly,” said Jakub Krs (Head of high-voltage battery strategy at Škoda Auto).“In everyday use, customers are unlikely to drive the car this way. Instead, they will take advantage of everything the Peaq has to offer in terms of driving dynamics, onboard infotainment and comfort,” added Marek Jež (Head of the Peaq model series).The car was a stock Peaq 90 which features the 91kWh traction battery (86kWh net), a single 210kW motor driving the rear wheels and its 19-inch wheels were shod with standard low-rolling-resistance rubber.Departing Mladá Boleslav (where the Peaq is produced) at midday on Tuesday August 25, the record team took breaks to change drivers, rest and eat before reaching the Netherlands early on the morning of Wednesday August 26.The big seven-seat electric SUV is expected to land in Australia in 2027, where it would complement the mid-size Enyaq and compact Elroq electric SUVs in Skoda's expanding local EV range.Based on European pricing it will likely sit above the $80,000 mark here, sending a shot across the bows of existing electric three-row SUVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 9 ($119,750) and Kia EV9 ($97,000), both before on-road costs.

Skoda has indicated two key SUV electric vehicles (EVs) slated for Australia may have their release dates pushed back.With booming demand for EVs in Europe against a backdrop of war in the Middle East and subsequent spiking oil prices, buyers in Australia may have to wait until the end of next year before they can get behind the wheel of the Epiq small SUV.Likewise, the recently announced Skoda Peaq seven-seater large SUV EV, a companion model to the popular Kodiaq and the stated flagship – or peak – of the Czechian brand’s extensive range, might still be up to two years away from a local launch.According to Skoda Australia Brand Director, Lucie Kuhn, there are a number of factors at play putting pressure on the availability of these two important electric models.“Here in Australia, we are trying to fight to get the launch of global models, the Epiq and Peaq,” she said. “We are awaiting final confirmation.”With sales of EVs expected to eclipse internal combustion engine models for Skoda in Australia, the importance of the Epiq in particular cannot be overstated.Closely related to the just-released VW ID. Polo light car supermini and ID. Cross electric crossover version that are already creating a buzz with strong pre-orders in Europe, it is a key player in the Volkswagen Group’s retaliation against the wave of cheap EVs from China.More specifically, the Epiq uses a modified version of the MEB electrical architecture known as MEB+ designed to slash engineering and production costs.Developed by Seat in Spain (where all models including a Cupra Raval version will be built), it switches from a rear-motor/rear-wheel-drive (RWD) configuration to a front-motor/front-drive layout.Along with a simpler torsion beam rear suspension set-up and the choice of two modestly sized battery packs of 39kWh (for 310km of WLTP range) and 55kWh (for about 440km WLTP) sizes, the goal here is to save money.Speaking of which, while pricing and specification details have yet to confirmed for our market, the entry-level version is expected to kick off from somewhere in the mid-$30,000 region.This would take the fight up to the BYD Atto 2, GWM Ora 5, Jaecoo J5, Leapmotor B10 and Chery E5.Crucially, at the time of publishing, neither VW has been confirmed for Australia as yet.The Peaq, meanwhile, employs a stretched version of the Enyaq’s MEB architecture, and will offer 60 RWD, 90 RWD and 90X all-wheel drive powertrains.Globally unveiled in late June, Skoda has yet to reveal many details about this model, but it is anticipated that the main target will be the successful Tesla Model Y L, which currently retails from around $75,000 and $90,000 before on-road costs in Australia.If the brand can achieve similar pricing to the latter, it would undercut a host of electric alternatives, including the Kia EV9, Volvo EX90, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Mercedes-Benz EQS.Both models represent strong opportunities for conquest sales for the company.“We are hard at work now, working on Epiq and Peaq,” according to Skoda Australia Head of Product and Marketing, Kieran Merrigan.“The feedback is really awesome, and we can't wait to see the work on them and bring them to market – 2027 for the Epiq, and then late 2027 or 2028 for the Peaq.”