Skoda teases new EV ahead of Shanghai debut

Skoda has just dropped in a teaser of its upcoming vehicle which will mark its debut at next month’s Shanghai Motor Show. Although the manufacturer hasn’t clearly stated that it will be an electric vehicle, however at the press conference at the Geneva Motor Show, the brand confirmed that the Chinese motor show will hold a surprise of what the electric mobility from Skoda would look like.

In the vague teaser, the new Skoda just showcases a coupe-like silhouette with a sleek and sloping roofline. The front and rear lamps are similar to the design language followed by the new generation Superb and the Kodiaq. The Czech manufacturer also added that the designers have taken the inspiration from Czech crystal glass art. According to Skoda, the crystal glass art is characterised by outstanding craftsmanship and “yields an expressive, emotionally charged design which harmoniously combines aesthetics and functionality.”

We had reported earlier that the electrification programme from Skoda will kick start from the Superb. It will be followed by a purpose-built pure electric vehicle. The year 2019 is what Skoda has estimated to be an ideal time for bringing in the new electric and hybrid technology since it is also a time when the higher demands for hybrid cars will actually help bring down the cost.

The new powertrain for the Skoda’s electrification push will be benefited by the parent company Volkswagen’s new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) platform developed specially for the EVs.  However, Skoda asserts that the new car’s design will be distinctive to Skoda, which is evident in the teaser. Audi has also planned a new compact, a crossover and an SUV with the electric powertrain. 

The Czech carmaker has spawned a number of vehicles from the concepts like the Vision D, Vision C and Vision S. The new concept at the Shanghai Motor show will give us a glimpse of the new car to follow.