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Sam Charlwood20 Nov 2018
NEWS

Skoda to bypass plug-in hybrid tech in Oz

Czech brand favours all-out electric cars over bridging technology

Skoda Australia has confirmed it will not be offering the car-maker’s very first electrified vehicle, citing a lack of demand locally.

The Czech manufacturer will roll out a plug-in hybrid version of the facelifted Superb from next year – its first electrified model globally.

It has been confirmed with carsales the plug-in hybrid will be built in right-hand drive. However, Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer said it would not grace Australian roads.

“At the moment, we don’t think the market is ready for the plug-in hybrid concept that is coming at this stage,” he said.

The Skoda Vision E concept will be the first electrified model for Australia

“Other manufacturers have already tried this out and I believe the numbers of cars sold, it is not promising that much potential. If the potential was there, then no doubt, we would bring these cars to Australia.”

Instead, Irmer said the logical approach would be to skip plug-in hybrid technology altogether in Australia and dive straight into Skoda’s first full electric car, an SUV previewed by the Skoda Vision E concept (pictured).

“We all believe in the Skoda brand and we see the potential of a powerful, fully-electric SUV. There is an appeal, look at the demand for Teslas in the Eastern Suburbs,” he said.

The new Skoda EV will be launched in 2021

“But that is a certain profile, there is not going to be huge quantities, large volume – and not all dealers will have it, at least not in the beginning. I don’t think there is such potential for a plug-in hybrid, but I’m happy to be proven wrong.”

Speaking with media during a brief visit to Australia, global board member for sales and marketing, Alain Favey, said Skoda’s electric push was so instrumental the car-maker wasn’t likely to devise an electric sub-brand. Rather, electric cars could soon define the Skoda brand itself.

“The Superb facelift will bring our first plug-in hybrid model, our first car with an electrified engine,” Favey said of Skoda’s electric vision.

Will electric cars spell the end of the combustion engine in one short generation?

“Then we will follow up with proper battery electric vehicle based on the MEB platform of the group. They will be launched 2021, starting with a model that we previewed with our Vision E concept car last year.

“The demand for electric cars will be what it will be but we believe a demand exists and this is a good contribution for our brand, to show that we are present in the battery electric vehicle market.

“There will come a point in the future, at least this is what we discuss in Europe, where all cars will be electric. It will be strange to develop a sub-brand when you believe that in 30 years’ time, your entire brand will be electric.”

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