Skoda is investing billions to accelerate its electrification plans and deliver new EV models sooner.
Skoda has scratched its original plan to launch three electric cars by 2030, and is now planning to launch those new models by 2026.
The new was confirmed to Automotive Daily Network partner Autocar by a spokesperson for the company, who said the trio will be on the market “as early as 2026, with more to follow”.
The new cars are expected to be a crossover known for now as the Elroq (2024); a large SUV based on the Vision 7S concept (2026); and a compact urban SUV twinned with the Cupra Urban Rebel (2026).
Electric alternatives to the Octavia family sedan and Fabia supermini are also on the cards, but these are not set to appear before 2026, based on the latest timeline.
Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer said: “The biggest challenge at the moment is the cost [of making] battery-electric vehicles, especially when producing a car [of the size of] the Fabia. We will have to stay a little patient.”
In a recent interview with Germany trade newspaper Handelsblatt, he said the company has upped its investment in electric cars from €3.1 billion (AUD$4.8bn) to €5.6bn (AUD$8.65bn) by 2026. Skoda is aiming for 50 per cent to 70 per cent of its sales to be electric cars by the end of this decade.
Currently, Skoda’s only EV on sale is the Enyaq iV crossover, which is also available in rakish-roofed Coupé form. Its first EV, the tiny Citigo-e iV, was withdrawn from sale not long after it was launched in 2020.
The move comes as the wider Volkswagen Group rethinks its electrification plans under new CEO Oliver Blume.
Volkswagen brand CEO (and former Skoda boss) Thomas Schäfer confirmed that 10 new EVs are in the works for 2026. These comprise a mix of model variants (such as a higher-riding, more rugged ID 3), facelifts and brand-new products.
As with its current petrol cars – the VW Polo sharing its underpinnings with the Seat Ibiza and Skoda Fabia, for example – these are expected to form the backbone of the Czech brand’s strategy up to 2030.
Charlie Martin