ŠKODA continues its dynamic growth strategy: over recent years, the brand has fundamentally updated and expanded its model range. The SUV range is now also being extended.
With the ŠKODA VisionS at the Geneva Motor Show, the Czech car manufacturer gives an insight into what ŠKODA’s future SUV design language might look like. The brand is also presenting their most important future technologies with the show car.
“Our brand continues to develop at a rapid pace,” said ŠKODA CEO Bernhard Maier. “We already have a successful model in the compact SUV segment with the ŠKODA Yeti; now we are using our expertise in 4×4 technology to develop the new SUV model. In terms of design, package and functionality, the VisionS bears some similarity. This study also demonstrates our most important future technologies, such as the plug-in hybrid drive system; a similar drive system is also being tested for production cars.”
“This study demonstrates our most important future technologies.”
The ŠKODA VisionS incorporates the brand’s new design language, carrying it over into the SUV segment: the design is clearly influenced by cubism and the tradition of Bohemian crystal glass art.
The lines are precise, sharp and clean-cut; the distinctive interplay of light and shadow on the contoured surfaces has a powerful effect, which is accentuated by the Iceland Green colour. Based on Volkswagen Group’s Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB), this is ŠKODA’s first vehicle to feature six seats across three rows.
Another highlight of the concept vehicle is its plug-in hybrid drive: with 165 kW (225 PS), the show car accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 7.4 seconds, and has a top speed of almost 200 km/h. 1.9 l of petrol is all the car needs to travel 100 km (45 g CO2/km). The ŠKODA VisionS can drive up to 50 km on electric mode alone, and travels up to 1,000 km with both systems combined.
The internal combustion engine is a 1.4 TSI with 115 kW (156 PS) and 250 Nm of torque. It works alongside an e-motor that provides 40 kW of continuous power and a peak torque of 220 Nm. The e-motor is integrated with the six-speed DSG, which transfers the power to the front wheels. A second electric engine with up to 85 kW and 270 Nm of torque drives the rear axle. This works independently from the front axle drive, meaning the show car has clever four-wheel drive, which requires no mechanical coupling.
The three engines cooperate in a highly flexible manner: the driver of the ŠKODA VisionS can choose between several modes of operation – from the purely electric engine to chargemode, always with the goal of maximum efficiency. The lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 12.4 kWh is positioned in front of the rear axle.
ŠKODA has responded to the rapidly growing range of information and the passengers’ desire to communicate by introducing automotive digital networking (mobile services), providing large displays for optimum vehicle and infotainment services for all passengers, who can connect to the network in several ways from each seat in the vehicle.
