New Skoda Elroq revealed as cut-price Kia Niro EV rival
The new Skoda Elroq has been revealed, starting a new era for the Czech brand as the latest addition to its electric SUV line-up.
Complete with a range up to 355 miles, it features a new design language and a starting price that makes it one of the market's most affordable EVs.
Said by the firm to be the first model adopting its new 'modern solid' design language, the new Elroq will be available to order next month priced from £31,500 and positioned as an electric alternative to the combustion-only Skoda Karoq. In fact, Skoda says the car's list price matches that of the Karoq in many markets.
Its overall design most notably features a new, aero-optimised front bumper and a 'Tech-Deck' face with 'Skoda' lettering positioned on the leading edge of the bonnet. Tech-Deck essentially means that the large grille we are used to seeing on Skodas has been replaced with a large, gloss black panel that obscures various sensors for the driver assistance systems.
It also has new, slim LED front and rear lights which feature five different modes, including City mode, Country mode, Highway mode, All-weather light mode and Tourist mode for driving on the other side of the road.
Its attention to aerodynamics means that it has a drag coefficient of 0.26, helped too by the streamlined alloy wheels that are between 19 inches and 21 inches in size.
Sitting on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform, the Karoq will become available with three different sizes of modular battery. The entry-level Elroq 50 uses a 55kWh battery that is good for an electric range of 230 miles. The Elroq 60, meanwhile, has a battery capacity of 63kWh and an electric range of 255 miles, while top-specification Elroq 85 cars feature an 85kWh battery and 355-mile range.
The batteries themselves come with pre-heating as standard to help them achieve a maximum charging rate of up to 175kW, which means it can fast-charge from 10% to 80% charge in 28 minutes. It is worth noting, however, that the Elroq 50 supports charging rates up to 145kW. But given its smaller battery, a top up from 10% to 80% is said to take only 25 minutes.
The units are positioned in the floor of the car to keep its centre of gravity as low as possible, and their pre-heating software can be activated using the in-built satellite navigation, or can be started manually via the infotainment system.
Three specifications will be available with each of the batteries. These include SE, SE L, Edition and SportLine.
SportLine cars are most notably distinguished from their lesser counterparts by way of gloss black detailing on the mirror caps, front bumper, and Skoda badging. Underneath, they get sports suspension lowered by 15mm at the front and 10mm at the rear, 20in alloys, as well as heavier steering on the top-specification Elroq 85.
In terms of performance, the entry-level car combines its battery with an electric motor producing 168bhp and 228lb ft, while the Elroq 60 produces 201bhp and 228lb ft. Top-specification Elroq 85 models produce 281bhp and 228lb ft. The entry-level car has a top speed of 99mph, while the Elroq 60 and Elroq 85 can push to 111mph.
Inside, the Elroq features a minimalist but tech-rich cockpit that features a 13in infotainment display as standard, complete with shortcut buttons, a supposedly clearer menu structure than before, an improved navigation system and more intuitive controls for the air conditioning system.
With dimensions measuring 4488 millimetres in length, 1884 millimetres in width and 1625 millimetres in height, it’s around the same sort of size as the Volkswagen ID 4, making it significantly larger than its combustion counterpart. Its kerb weight is 1949kg.
Alongside the infotainment display sits a digital instrument cluster and a head-up display with augmented reality, which projects arrows and destination markers when the driver is using the satellite navigation system.
Elsewhere inside, there are new fabrics for the upholstery for the basic interior trim grade - called 'Loft' - which contains 78% recycled plastic from various sources such as used drinks bottles and clothing. The next trim up - called 'Lodge' - features 75% recycled materials from sources such as fishing nets and carpets destined for landfill, as well as 25% polyester.
As with the vast majority of Skodas that have gone before this one, the Elroq has an array of 'Simply Clever' solutions to practicality problems. These include a storage net for the charging cable, a boot-mounted QR code linking to the equipment and functions of the car it is fitted to, folding hooks in the boot, as well as a built-in ice scraper and umbrella.
Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer said: "The Elroq has everything it takes to become a real game changer. Last but not least, a highly attractive starting price makes the Elroq the most affordable vehicle in its segment across Europe, achieving price parity with its ICE counterpart in many markets."
