Shanghai show: Skoda Vision E previews first EV

SKODA has taken the covers off its first electric car concept at the Shanghai motor show, revealing the Vision E crossover coupe at a Volkswagen Group media night ahead of the show’s opening day.

Built on top of the Volkswagen Group’s new flexible MEB electric platform – which has already yielded three Volkswagen concepts – the Vision E shares a similar powertrain to the Volkswagen ID Crozz, which was also revealed at the show.

The Vision E is said to offer 225kW of power from a pair of electric motors mounted fore and aft, and a claimed range of 500km from its liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery array in the floor.

DC charging capability has been built in, allowing an 80 per cent recharge from flat in 30 minutes, while Skoda has also built in an inductive system that allows the car to be recharged simply by parking over a charging panel built into a floor.

The Vision E’s design is based around a four-door coupe crossover shape, with suicide rear doors highlighting a lack of B-pillars. At 4688mm long, it is only 13mm longer than the Kodiaq SUV, but it is 126mm lower and 35mm wider.

The interior is laid out with four individual seats, each with its own inductive phone charging pad and touchscreen. Cameras also replace traditional exterior rearview mirrors.

It can be operated via advanced gesture controls and eye gestures, while a self-driving laser scanner-based system capable of level three autonomy has been added.

The Vision E is the first electric car concept in Skoda’s 114-year history, according to the company. It is set to release a pair of plug-in hybrids in the next two years, starting with the Superb in 2019, and followed by a PHEV version of the forthcoming Kodiaq SUV the year after.

Locally, Skoda Australia would not be drawn on whether the company would adopt EVs as they come on stream, with a spokesperson suggesting that electric car infrastructure is still “in its infancy” in Australia.

No official confirmation of the future of the Superb and Kodiaq PHEVs for the Australian market has yet been made.