Skoda has revealed a new budget-end electric crossover – the Epiq – which will rival the likes of the Citroën ë-C3 and next-generation Fiat Panda when its goes on sale in the UK in 2025.
With a name that Skoda says is derived from ancient Greek, the Epiq is one of six new electric models that Skoda plans to launch in Europe in the coming years, expanding the Czech brand’s EV offering which only includes the larger Enyaq SUV so far. It will be the second of the six to arrive in the UK, following the compact Elroq crossover.
While fellow Volkswagen Group brands have decided to target this budget EV category with hatchback models, such as the Volkswagen ID.2 and Cupra Raval, Skoda has instead decided to give the Epiq more ground clearance and thick SUV-style bumper cladding, and refers to this new model as a ‘city SUV’.
A year away from the car’s official launch, we don’t have the full spec sheet as of yet, but Skoda has announced that this small EV will be powered by a single front-mounted electric motor and either a 38kWh or 56kWh battery, depending on the trim you choose.
The latter option can reportedly deliver up to 248 miles on a single charge, and is compatible with rapid charging speeds of up to 125kW, which charges the battery from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes. The battery also has a bi-directional vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature, which means it can power external devices like laptops and kettles, or top up home electricity networks.
Inside, Skoda has opted for the minimal approach to dashboard layout (an increasingly popular trend across the industry), with physical buttons limited to the steering wheel and a panel just above the centre console. The most eye-catching feature is the floating touchscreen in the centre of the dash, which runs the brand’s latest infotainment software.
The crossover is about as long as the brand’s Fabia supermini, but offers an extra 110 litres of luggage space in the boot – 490 litres total.
That sums up what we know so far about the Skoda Epiq. UK pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the manufacturer says that it is aiming for a €25k price tag in Europe (£21.4k).
