Skoda has confirmed plans for a plug-in hybrid version of both the seven-seat Kodiaq and its incoming city-sized SUV, leading the brand's eco offensive that will also see an all-electric vehicle silently prowling the streets by 2020.
The two SUVs, both scheduled for a 2019 launch, are are the first in an eco-friendly fleet featuring both plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles that will land in Skoda dealerships in 2020 and beyond.
Speaking at the international launch of the all-new Kodiaq, the car's program manager, Jiri Dytrych, told CarsGuide.com.au that increasingly strict emissions regulations meant electric options were inevitable for the brand's SUVs. And not just for Skoda, but for all manufacturers, with Mr Dytrych predicting that within five years all SUVs would need to offer an electric option.
He confirmed the yet-to-be-revealed city sized SUV was being developed with an electric engine option. The car would follow hot on the heels of a hybrid Kodiaq.
"Of course (the new SUV) will have an electric option. Electric will be the only way to meet new standards," Mr Dytrych said. "Not just for us, but I think for anybody selling SUVs, there will have to be electric options from 2020."
His comments echo those of Skoda boss Bernhard Maier, who told assembled international media his company was hard at work on a new hybrid engine option for both the Kodiaq SUV and flagship sedan, the Superb, with a yet-to-be-revealed all-electric model to follow in 2020.
The Skoda plan will form part of the broader VW Group's vision for its electric future as the beleaguered giant battles to reverse negative sentiment over its international emissions scandal. The German brand recently committed to adding 30 electric vehicles to its line-up by 2025, and wants to tally up one million EV sales by the same year.
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