Volkswagen Group’s Czech brand is preparing to roll out its first EVs, but they’re unlikely before 2024
Skoda Australia has confirmed a brace of electric SUVs will hit showrooms Down Under as early as next year.
The Skoda Enyaq iV and its closely-related fastback cousin, the Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV, will touch down locally in the second half of 2023, but more likely the beginning of 2024, it was confirmed this week.
Orders for the pair of battery-powered mid-size electric SUVs, which are closely related to the Volkswagen ID.4 that’s yet to be officially confirmed for Australia, are set to open earlier in 2023.
Skoda Enyaq iV SUV
The pair of Skoda electric vehicles are the first EVs to be confirmed for Australia by the Volkswagen Group (excluding Audi).
However, the Skoda Enyaq twins are likely to be beaten into Aussie showrooms by the Cupra Born electric hatch as soon as late 2022.
Volkswagen Group Australia – which has confirmed that plug-in hybrid versions of the Cupra Formentor and Cupra Leon will be its first electrified vehicles to arrive here, in mid-2022 – is expected to make an announcement on the Born EV in the coming weeks.
Skoda Enyaq iV SUV
Speaking at the launch of the facelifted 2022 Skoda Kodiaq this week, Skoda officials said they had signed off on the electric SUV duo.
“The Enyaq has been approved for our market and we will start taking orders for the car through next year,” said Skoda Australia product planning manager, Keiran Merrigan.
“We will share more information with you in time regarding specification and exact launch date.”
Merrigan said limited production prevented Skoda Australia from sourcing the Enyaq SUVs sooner.
Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe
“The challenge we’re always going to have is the supply and demand. In Europe, the Enyaq’s demand is outstripping supply and with fuel prices on the rise [it will increase further],” he said.
“When I read automotive press, about 50 per cent of the coverage is on EVs, so the engagement is there.
“The market is ready for EVs, and the level of interest suggests that anyway.”
Volkswagen itself remains in the dark over specifics around release of the conceptually similar Volkswagen ID.4, which is based on the same MEB electric vehicle architecture as the Skoda Enyaq.
While Skoda officials argue Australia is ready for EVs regardless of incentives, newly-appointed Volkswagen Group Australia chief Paul Sansom this week renewed the company’s calls for binding federal CO2 emissions standards and called on support from the government for home EV charging.
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Keyword: Skoda Enyaq iV electric SUV confirmed for Oz