Skoda aiming for Tesla with new electric SUVs

Skoda now has two electric vehicles (EVs) on sale in Australia, and it believes they will give it an opportunity to attract buyers from the likes of Kia, BYD and, of course, EV leader Tesla.

These two EVs are the new Elroq and facelifted Enyaq mid-size SUVs, which promise ‘unmatchable’ value according to Skoda Australia head of product and marketing Kieran Merrigan.

This is primarily due to the arrival of new, budget-minded ’60 Select’ entry-level variants for each model line. The Elroq starts at $49,990 drive-away as a result, and the Enyaq at $54,990 drive-away – making them both cheaper than rivals like the Kia EV5, Kia EV6, BYD Sealion 7, and the top-selling Tesla Model Y.

“I think both Enyaq and Elroq have the opportunity to, of course, take some of the EV considerers, but also people that aren’t ready for EVs, and both cars do it quite nicely,” Mr Merrigan told CarExpert at the launch of the updated Enyaq.

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“Thinking out of the traditional brands that have been around, the price point you’re seeing with these particular cars and the value offering is unmatchable in market as it stands.”

Given their difference in size, the Elroq and Enyaq compete against different EVs. The smaller Elroq 60 Select will likely compete for buyers of the Kia EV3 and BYD Atto 3, which are slightly more expensive while offering similar range claims of around 400km on the WLTP cycle in their base trims.

There’s also the mechanically similar Volkswagen ID.4, which offers more than 100km of extra driving range but is more than $10,000 pricier.

Skoda Australia still expects the sales split between Elroq 85 and 60 to be roughly 70-30 per cent, despite the $10,000 price difference. It has a sales target of “close to 1000” units over the next year, which would be less than the sales of both the Atto 3 and EV3 in the first half of 2025.

The Enyaq 60 Select, meanwhile, competes more directly with the base Kia EV5, BYD Sealion 7, and Tesla Model Y. It’s cheaper than all three, but its 410km of claimed WLTP range is shorter than all but the EV5’s.

Both models can also be had with a larger ’85’ battery, which, in the case of the Enyaq, brings it closer to the $70,000-plus Kia EV6 – particularly in its Coupe body style.

Even then, it’s priced at $68,990 drive-away and, like the rest of Skoda’s EV range, still offers a healthy list of standard equipment.

“The Enyaq, from a size perspective and performance in most of the categories, is more EV6, and that vehicle starts in the 70s,” Mr Merrigan said.

“So there’s a new opportunity in market, a new player in market to take some of those traditional ICE buyer sales.”

Similarly, Skoda Australia director Lucie Kuhn expects the local EV market to continue to grow, which will provide all EV manufacturers an opportunity to increase their sales – something Skoda aims to capitalise on in the coming years.

She also noted that while Tesla sales are down, it’s possible the brand will stabilise while other brands continue to grow their sales, creating more breathing room for all brands in the EV space.

Still, Skoda is unlikely to overtake Tesla in terms of EV sales any time soon. Skoda has sold 149 Enyaqs so far in 2025, while the Model Y recorded 2324 deliveries in August alone.

“I think because the electric market share remains more or less stable, Tesla is currently heavily losing,” Ms Kuhn told CarExpert.

“I think everyone right now tries to take [their] piece from the Tesla brand, but I think the market as such will develop on top of volumes,” she added.

“So I think many brands will simply get some extra volume, some extra buyers, without cannibalisation of the others. It’s not necessarily 100 per cent like that, but the electric market as such will go up.”

Skoda’s electrified vehicle shift will also be supported by the arrival of the Kodiaq plug-in hybrid (PHEV) large SUV in December this year, followed by the large Superb PHEV wagon in the first quarter of 2026, and mild-hybrid versions of the Kodiaq and the mid-size Octavia sedan and wagon in the second quarter of next year.

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