Skoda Enyaq iV has been imported into India for testing, launch is said to take place in the next few months
The upcoming electric SUV from Skoda, Enyaq iV, has been spied undisguised for the first time in India ahead of its launch in the next few months. The car has an impressive claimed range up to 513 km (WLTP) which is nearly equivalent to that of the BMW i4 and Kia EV6.
The SUV has been imported into India for testing which means Skoda is seriously pursuing its launch. Interestingly, the car sits on Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric architecture, the same platform which Mahindra is eyeing to use for its upcoming Born Electric cars.
Skoda bringing in its EV this soon makes perfect sense as that will assure faith in manufacturers like Mahindra who are planning to use the Volkswagen Group’s versatile platform. It currently underpins various cars abroad.
The model that has been imported into India is the Enyaq iV 80x which gets a large 77 kWh battery pack with a claimed range of up to 513 km (WLTP). That’s in the ballpark of BMW i4 and Kia EV6. But unlike the BMW and Kia, the iV supports only a 125 kW DC fast charger.
The battery pack supplies to 2 motors each powering an axle on a 4-wheel drive system. Their combined output is 265 HP, slightly lesser than the i4 and EV6. The motors propel the car from 0-100 km/hr in 6.9 seconds.
While the electric SUV has various trims abroad, the 1 imported into India is the Lounge variant that features what Skoda calls Anodised Cross Decor with a dual-tone black and light grey theme. The 19-inch Proteus alloy wheels stand out with good presence.
On the inside, the SUV gets a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system, ambient lighting, and contrast yellow stitching on seats and upholstery. While the Lounge is the top-end trim, Skoda might also offer 2-wheel-drive lower spec trims.
As far as size goes, the upcoming Enyaq is only slightly smaller than the Skoda Kodiaq on sale in India. The 5-seater is 4648 mm long and 1877 mm wide.
The electric SUV will take the CBU route for India which restricts the yearly import to just 2500 units. But, if Skoda gets the pricing right and if the car gets overwhelming response, Skoda might take the CKD route.
