Design distinguishes us
The ENYAQ iV model will be the brand’s first battery-powered electric vehicle based on Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Platform (MEB). What are this platform’s benefits for customers, as you see it?
The battery is entirely housed in the floor. Its shape can be imagined like a bar of chocolate, so we can install a large number of battery cells particularly efficiently and cheaply. That brings other design advantages. If the battery was in the luggage compartment, that wouldn’t leave much room for luggage. If it was in the transmission tunnel, the tunnel would have to be very wide and high. So the battery is installed in a way ensuring we hardly notice it. Consequently – and thanks to the platform’s other architectural properties – you sit about 10 centimetres higher than you would in an OCTAVIA A8 which I regard as another advantage. Like in an SUV, you have a better view and you feel very comfortable in the car. As the car doesn’t have a combustion engine, the front can be a bit shorter. That improves both the interior and the impression of space, because it provides more space for the driver and passenger and lots of legroom. The MEB platform also offers a wide range of battery modules – customers can choose the right battery for their driving style and practical requirements. Synergies within the Volkswagen Group and a large number of units produced allow us to get a price advantage as well.

We’ve talked about the “Simply Clever” slogan and extra space. Are there other typical features that the ŠKODA vehicles of the future will have?
Yes, ŠKODA’s typical crystalline design. In recent years we’ve worked on the development of our design DNA, our product identity and brand identity. Thanks to that, everyone can recognise a ŠKODA. The key design elements come from the ŠKODA brand’s tradition, but also from Czech culture and the traditional manufacture of Czech crystal. History and tradition are fundamental, not merely a marketing gimmick. From my point of view, we have managed to reflect that perfectly in our design, which we are constantly developing. Our products are unique and people can identify the ŠKODA brand at first sight.
Fully electric, plug-in or mild-hybrid systems – will these alternatives continue to exist in the future?
Yes, our drivetrains portfolio is just as diverse as our customers’ requirements.
Will other fuel systems exist, like CNG?
Yes, we’re now offering CNG versions of the SCALA and KAMIQ models, and the new OCTAVIA will also be available in a CNG option. All three models are characterised by high efficiency and long ranges.