The Skoda Epiq concept was the star of the show at the brand’s annual press conference, and points the way to the company’s most affordable electric car yet.
Due to be launched next year, the production Epiq will be priced from €25,000 ($41,500). This price point is set to be the key battleground as European car makers seek to lure customers over to electric cars.
So far the new Citroen e-C3 and the Renault 5 have already been revealed for this market segment.
Details about the Epiq are scarce, with Skoda only confirming the entry-level electric crossover will be 4.1 metres long, have 490L of luggage space, and have a range of up to 400km on a full charge.
The Epiq will be based on the new MEB Entry architecture, which also serves as the basis for the upcoming Volkswagen ID.2 and a Cupra model. Development for MEB Entry is being lead by Seat/Cupra, and the Epiq will be built in Spain.
While Skoda hasn’t provided any details about the Epiq’s drivetrain, the Volkswagen Group has previously said the architecture will feature a single electric motor driving the front wheels, and support battery packs between 38kWh and 56kWh, with the largest battery size capable of DC fast charging up to 125kW.
Bi-directional charging will also be available, allowing the Epiq and other MEB Entry cars to power external devices or “even an entire household”.
The five-seat Epiq is the second Skoda — after the Vision 7S concept — to feature the brand’s new Modern Solid design language.
There’s an EV-friendly redesign of the brand’s classic grille shape, which instead of feeding air into the engine bay is now a slab of glossy black plastic that neatly hides the car’s forward-facing camera and adaptive cruise control radar.
The concept’s exterior looks to be nearly production-ready, with the only likely changes being smaller alloy wheels, larger headlights, tweaks to the tail-lights, and bigger wing mirrors. We don’t know if the Jeep-like lower air intake and rear diffuser will be carried over production car.
Minimalist ideals are carried through to the cabin, which has a small 5.3-inch instrumentation screen positioned in front of a two-spoke steering wheel. In the centre of the dashboard is a large 13.0-inch touchscreen.
Under the screen there’s a capacitive slider for the sound system’s volume. A strip of physical buttons – including the hazard lights, demisters, central locking, and assistance features – resides lower down the dash, but the climate control system is controlled via on-screen buttons that are permanently on display.
The centre tunnel includes a open-air storage area with wireless smartphone charging. A digital key stored on the driver’s smartphone can also be used to enter, start and lock the vehicle.
The Epiq is one of six electric vehicles Skoda plans to release over the next few years. The other confirmed model is the larger Elroq, which will be around the same size as the petrol- and diesel-powered Karoq.
