Skoda to launch first electric car

Parker's can reveal exclusively that an all-electric Skoda will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

It will be the first time the Czech manufacturer has produced an all-electric car and, like all other electric plug-ins such as the Nissan Leaf, Peugeot iOn and Mitsubishi iMiEV it will have zero emissions.

As part of the VW Group, Skoda is having some catching up to do. A fully electric plug-in Golf is due for launch in 2013 and so it is therefore unlikely that the Octavia will hit full production before that.

Clearly the challenge will be to produce a car with decent enough range. Currently cars like the Chevrolet Volt, the Vauxhall Ampera and the Nissan Leaf, operate with a range of around 100 miles, but it may be that Skoda will announce an even longer range.

The car that appears at Paris will be a concept with no exterior changes to the Octavia's shape required to house the electric battery and motor.