Skoda's New SUV Concept Is An All-Electric, Twin-Motor Glimpse Into the Future
The Volkswagen Group’s wholesale move towards electric power has taken another baby step with the reveal of Skoda’s new Vision E concept; an all-electric, twin-motor, semi-autonomous SUV unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show.
At 4645mm long, 1917mm wide and 1550mm tall, the 302bhp design study is a little shorter, a little wider and about 10cm lower than the Kodiaq SUV, but expect its dimensions to slim down and stretch a little if it ever makes production – which it may not. The autonomous driving systems within it definitely will, though.
Skoda says the Vision E meets all the criteria for Level 3 autonomous driving, which means it can take pretty much full control until it needs a human’s attention. It can adopt an autopilot mode on the motorway, stay in lane, swerve to avoid crashes, make overtakes and find parking spaces, before, of course, slotting itself into them, potentially without a driver on board at all.
As you’d expect, it’s rammed full of sensors and cameras that monitor the road layout, road markings, other traffic and more, but a driver has to be aware that it might just suddenly decide to stop doing its thing and hand control back. Some rivals, like Ford, are aiming straight for Level 4 autonomous driving, which is where Tesla are already at, and where cars become much more self-sufficient.
Onto the more practical stuff, then, and Skoda says the Vision E is capable of 112mph and 311 miles on a single charge – although obviously not simultaneously. One motor at each axle means the concept is four-wheel drive, and can split power to whichever axle it needs to under any given circumstance.
The Vision E comes two years ahead of the first production part-electric Skoda. The Superb is set to gain a plug-in hybrid in 2019, with the first full-electric Skoda pencilled in for 2020. Five years after that, the brand is planning to have five all-electric cars across its range, and potentially more hybrids as well.
Comments
To continue with the current theme, skoda is like the LG/Nexus of EVs then
I’d still rather have a very rude skoda (vrs).
Nice Concept BUT I WANT A DACIA CONCEPT
I’d rather have a Skoda Yeti.
As much as I hate the concept of full autonomy, something in between like levels 2 or 3 is even worse, because someone will inevitably think it is fully autonomous and cause a massive clusterf*ck
Great, non car people, I meant subhumans can now safe our precious blood
We all know how concepts work.
so this is where the lamborghini urus ended?
Well Lambo and Skoda are both owned by VW.
“Glimpse into the future”
cries silently
Autonomous SUV? I guess it wouldn’t last long
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/ndzmp73/
I’d rather have this design as a premium hatch rather than an SUV