Skoda's all-electric Octavia

It looks like a regular Skoda Octavia, but underneath that eminently practical shell beats a heart of pure electricity, 26.5 Kw/Hrs of electricity to be precise. This is no ordinary Skoda, it’s the first ever all-electric vehicle from the Czech manufacturer, the Octavia Green E Line.

There’s not much point in discussing the looks of the car because it is identical to the estate version of the Octavia in every detail except under the bonnet. Suffice to say, it’s got a decent size load area and comfortably seats five. Even with the space taken by the batteries, room-wise this car still does exactly what you expect it to.

Instead of the already economical engines Skoda normally use, this model has a battery mounted under the middle and rear floor panel and is driven by an electric motor. While obviously not as powerful as a traditional engine the motor isn’t too bad. This is a big car but will still manage a top speed of 83mph and 0-60 takes around 12 seconds – not exactly hair-raising but it will certainly get around town quick enough – and with 199lb/ft of torque it’s capable of carrying a fair bit of shopping along the way and all with zero emissions.

Skoda currently have ten models of the E-Octavia involved in road tests and their aim is to gain practical experience in the design and development of electric vehicles which they can then apply to production models. It’s probably safe to assume that even if this car doesn’t make it to the market in this exact form there will be an all-electric vehicle in your nearest Skoda showroom at some point in the near future.

Let’s be honest, Skoda aren’t the most exciting manufacturer in the automobile industry but they are fast becoming one of the most economical and sustainable brands available. When VW came knocking they knew it would only be a good thing in the long run – they were absolutely right.

www.skoda.co.uk





By David Young 

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