What's all this about?
What's in a name, you might say? Well, the Skoda Enyaq is a new name that could be appearing on the shopping list of electric-car buyers later this year. Nothing else about the car has been revealed just yet, but it will be the first Skoda model to use the new modular electric MEB platform that the Volkswagen Group has developed.
The overall look of the car should follow that which was showcased by the Skoda Vision iV concept that made its debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show. That sports coupe featured an 83kWh battery that was capable of a 500-kilometre single-charge driving range and had a power output of 306hp. The Enyaq is more likely to offer a wider choice of battery options to keep costs at an affordable level for its customers and feature a more traditional SUV design that is similar to the Volkswagen ID.4.
Tell me more about that name.
The Skoda Enyaq comes from the Irish name Enya, which Skoda says means 'source of life' - in turn, it's the Anglicised version of the Irish Gaelic word Eithne, meaning 'essence', 'spirit' or 'principle'. Skoda says that these different meanings allow for different perspectives on the name. The 'E' also relates to the electromobility aspect of the car's makeup. At the same time, the 'q' at the end identifies it as being part of the SUV family, in keeping with Skoda's naming structure that already includes Kamiq, Karoq and Kodiaq. It's safe to bet that all future electric-SUV variants from Skoda will carry names starting with an 'E' and ending in a 'q'.
When will we see more?
We'll have to wait until later in 2020 to see the Skoda Enyaq in its entirety, but it is expected to be on sale before the end of the year in some European markets, although right-hand drive markets may have to wait until the early part of 2021. In the meantime, the Skoda Citigo-e iV will be the only fully electric model in the range, but there is a plug-in hybrid version of the Superb and the forthcoming Octavia will also come in a PHEV version.
Dave Humphreys - 12 Feb 2020
