The Skoda brand has become very popular with Irish motorists in recent years and the Czech company, who are part of the VW group, responded to their popularity in our Emerald Isle by giving their first electric car an Irish sounding name, Enyaq. The name is derived from the Irish name Enya.
So with an Irish-sounding name Skoda decided that they would have an Irish launch for their electric car. And the village of Durrow in County Laois was the location for the first international ‘camouflage drive’ of the Skoda Enyaq last year.
Most of us were in Lockdown back then, but last week I got to drive the electric Enqay and it was certainly worth the wait.
It’s almost as big as the Skoda Kodiaq and it’s really powerful at take-off. It’s a five-seater, but it’s a really long car and you will appreciate the reversing cameras. Naturally the boot is massive, but no spare wheel as that space is taken up by electrics.
I loved the light brown leather seats that matched the brown trim on the dash. That dash is dominated by a 13” touchscreen display. As usual with Skoda you get a neat clip in the windscreen to hold you parking ticket, the ones you pay for in advance, not the other type.
Another innovation are small grips on both front doors. It keeps your hand away from messing with the buttons to open the windows. I’m not sure what the idea behind the grips was, but that’s what I used them for.
The first question people always ask me about electric cars is the range. The 77kw battery should give you around 515km, but of course much depends on what time of year you are driving and whether the weather is hot or cold.
In the back seat you can leave down the middle section and get access to the boot. The first time I saw this idea used was in an Audi car. It’s great facility if you want to transport long items like snooker cues, skis or may a pole vault stick, which I’m told can vary in length from 10 to 17 feet.
The Enqay is Skoda’s first electric car, but back in the late thirties Skoda launched an electric truck. In 1938 just before the start of World War II oil imports were under threat and Skoda needed to find a way to keep beer supplies flowing.
So they built an electric beer truck that could deliver the product from the factory in Pilsen to the town’s bars and restaurants. The truck delivered beer for many years, according to factory records.
Having been founded in 1895, Skoda is one of the oldest car manufacturers in the world, and since its early years, they have been experimenting with electricity and other alternative fuels. Skoda cars are getting better every day and this latest version is truly excellent.
Prices for the entry level Enyaq start at €37,465, but the Enyaq iV starts at €44,712. My test car had lots of goodies including 21” Betria alloys, which cost €1,423 and a sunroof which cost €1,048.
Those and other extras brought the price of the car as tested up to €55,712. Road tax is €120. Naturally you should only opt for goodies you really need and can afford.
