The Skoda Vision E, unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show, is a concept for an electric car but its bold styling also previews the look of future Skoda production models.
Industry observers suggest that a production electric-powered crossover expected from the Czech brand in 2020, one of five fully-electric cars promised by 2020, will be directly evolved from this concept.
The Vision E is the first fully electric concept from Skoda and is built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB (modular electrification toolkit) architecture. It mounts electric motors on the front and rear axles for a total output of 300hp and an all-wheel-drive powertrain.
Skoda adds that the concept is capable of 112mph and offers a range of up to 311 miles. It also boasts wireless charging using a floor panel that reaches 80 per cent of battery capacity in just 30 minutes.
Space-generating layout
Measuring 4688mm long, 1924mm wide and 1591mm high the Vision E also has a 2851mm wheelbase, which is 60mm longer than the recently launched Kodiaq SUV, and made possible by the compact nature of the electric drivetrain and battery pack.
The resultant interior space is generous, further aided by the lack of a transmission tunnel. Notable elements include rotating, body-contoured and slightly raised individual seating positions, multiple touch displays for driver and front passenger along with a central touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard and phoneboxes on the inside of the doors.
A distinctive exterior design features a bold shaped bonnet with an LED lighting strip running across the entire width below the narrow, triangular Matrix LED headlamps, a gently sloping roofline that gives the car a coupe-look, a lack of door pillars and rear-hinged doors which allow very easy access.
Skoda intends that from 2025 one in four of its cars sold worldwide will be a plug-in or pure electric vehicle. The first will be the PHEV version of the Superb, expected in 2019.
