DVW’s Czech subsidiary Skoda wants to enter the affordable entry-level electric vehicle segment with the launch of a new all-electric small car. The car, called Epiq, will cost around 25,000 euros and will celebrate its world premiere next year, the Mladá Boleslav-based automaker announced on Friday.
The design will be completely different from the planned VW ID.2all, Skoda chief Klaus Zellmer told reporters in Prague. The car, with its elevated SUV look, will be 4.1 meters long and have a trunk capacity of up to 490 liters. “It’s spacious but very compact on the outside,” Boleslaw, 56, said.
Zellmer is not afraid of cheap Chinese competition in the field of battery cars. “We are ready for competition,” says the car manager. They offer good value for money and can rely on their dealer network. This is not a new situation, as Japanese and Korean car manufacturers have entered the European market in the past.
Too optimistic about e-mobility in Europe
A few months ago, Volkswagen decided not to build a new battery plant in the Czech Republic for now. The possible location near Pilsen would now continue to serve as a reserve airfield for the Czech Army. This would be the fourth so-called Gigafactory after Salzgitter, Valencia and St. Thomas in Canada.
Zellmer justified his decision by saying that the transition to e-mobility in Europe is progressing more slowly than expected a year or two ago. But the plans are not off the agenda: “We will resume this discussion, but it will not be Pilsen, we will have to look for other real estate.”
Last year, Skoda said it delivered 866,800 vehicles worldwide. This is an increase of 18.5 percent compared to 2022, despite the withdrawal of troops from Russia due to the war in Ukraine. The operating result grew from 628 million euros in 2022 to more than 1.7 billion euros. Return on sales was 6.7 percent, more than double the previous year.
They plan to buy a VW electric car for 20,000 euros
VW also announced that it will expand its electric vehicle lineup. By 2027, the brand wants to launch eleven new electric vehicles bearing the VW badge, including further versions of the Bulli ID Buzz successor, the ID.7 sedan and the ID.4 SUV. At the end of next year, production of a small electric car costing about 25,000 euros called ID.2 will start in Spain.
There are also plans to build the next cheapest class, costing around 20,000 euros. According to Schaefer, VW wants to bring the car to market in 2027. According to company representatives, four concepts have been developed, three of which are considered viable. Options also include collaboration with competitors. The board will decide how to proceed in the next few weeks. The head of Renault, Luca de Meo, has already stated that the French are negotiating a partnership with VW.
Source: Frantfurter Allgemeine
Elizabeth Gray is a writer at the World Herald News. He covers trending news, and his name appears frequently in online search results for stories covering the latest developments in international politics and business.