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• Skoda set to launch its first-ever EV in India in 2023 • The EV move aims to build on the India 2.0 program
Under the ambitious India 2.0 program, Czech automaker, Skoda cars has localised, a modular global platform to develop products specific to the Indian market. This concerted push is helping Skoda regain gain a foothold in the highly-competitive Indian automobile market. Building on the success of the record sales numbers of 37,568 units in 2022, Skoda Auto plans to launch its first EV in India.
The Enyaq electric crossover will be the first of the upcoming Skoda EV cars in India. Initially, the electric vehicle will be imported as CBU (Completely Build Unit) with a ‘made in India’ model expected to arrive at a later stage as part of the VW Group’s MOU with Mahindra & Mahindra. The EV approach was outlined at a global event in Prague by Klaus Zellmer, the newly appointed global CEO of Skoda Auto. He said, “The way forward for ŠKODA in India will be a balance between ICE and EVs. In the immediate future, our portfolio will be ICE oriented but we have already brought in some ŠKODA Enyaq’s to India, which are being tested across the country.”
The upcoming Skoda Enyaq iV is an electric crossover based on the VW Group’s MEB-born electric platform that underpins VW ID4, Audi Q4 e-Tron. Expected to be a 5-seater SUV, Enyaq iV will measure 4,648 mm in length and 1,877 mm in width and will be 1,616 mm tall. These dimensions make the electric crossover slightly smaller than the Skoda Kodiaq selling in the Indian market. More on the model spotted testing on the Indian roads; it would appear to be the Enyaq iV Lounge trim. Expect features like 19-inch Proteus alloy wheels, ambient lighting, a digital instrument cluster, 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The upcoming EV interior would sport a leather-wrapped steering wheel, premium upholstery, and contrasting yellow stitching on the seats.
Worldwide, the Skoda Enyaq iV boasts two battery options- 55 kWh and 82 kWh. The former delivers a 390 km drive on a full charge, while the latter gives 510 km of driving. Depending on the market, Skoda Enyaq comes in 5 versions- three RWD (rear-wheel drive) and two 4WD (four-wheel drive). The Skoda upcoming Electric car will compete against rivals like KIA EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 ev in the Indian market.
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