Skoda has announced its electrification strategy for its entire model range. The programme is called Electro-mobility strategy, and will result in Skoda offering a range of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and pure-electric (EV) models by 2025.
The company’s direction is being shaped by forthcoming EU CO2 emission legislation, which will heavily fine car manufacturers that can’t get their fleet average to meet the EU’s numbers. Given that taxation will increasingly favour low- and zero-emission cars, this is a logical move for the company.
In 2019, Electro-mobility kicks off with the launch of the Skoda Superb PHEV. There’s little in the way of surprise here, with its hybrid drivetrain being shared with the Volkswagen Passat GTE (below). It’s in the final stages of testing and development, and it’s likely that its PHEV system will be used in further Skoda models.
What will the Skoda Superb PHEV cost to run?
Given it shares its running gear and PHEV technology with the Volkswagen Passat GTE (aside from a larger 13kWh battery), expect it to attract a similar company car tax cost (Basic Rate) £44-£45, and (Higher Rate) £89-£91 per month (at the time of writing).
In terms of performance and economy, the 218hp GTE delivers a maximum speed of 140mph, a 0-62mph time of 7.6 seconds, and a real-world fuel consumption figure of around 50mpg if you don’t charge it regularly (with a claimed figure of 156.9mpg assuming more regular charging). The official CO2 emissions figure for the Passat is 40g/km, but Skoda says the Superb will drop to 31g/km.
Skoda says that electrification is hugely important, and it’s side-stepping the mild-hybrid route and heading straight to PHEV and ultimately battery-electric vehicles. The company says that its first all-electric vehicle will hit the market in 2020.
