Czech firm’s biggest model ever has EV range of over 600kms with five or seven seats and even comes with a ‘frunk’
Based on the magnificent Vision 7S Concept and built on the group’s tried and tested MEB platform, the new offering will have a range of over 600kms, boasts all wheel drive and supreme luxury and comfort for all on board.
Measuring 4.9 metres long it’s the biggest Skoda ever made and pips the mighty Kodiaq by 11cms and with a wheelbase of 2.9 metres, that means more head, elbow and legroom for all passengers.
Flush door handles and deep roofspoiler give the massive body a sleek and sporty feel while the stonking 21 inch rims add to the overall premiumness.
As you can see from the pictures, this was a camouflaged first drive, but we did get up close and personal with a couple of pre-production models and I promise you it will take plenty of sales off its luxury German cousins.
The Czech car giant are being super secretive about the layout of the cockpit, so we reckon the template will percolate down to all models in the future. No pictures were allowed, but what we can tell you is that for the first time ever there’s a vertical infotainment screen taking pride of place in the centre of the dash.
Software powering the 14 inch display has also been kept under wraps, but it will be complimented by an AR Head Up Display.
New Peaq is the biggest Skoda ever built, topping the Kodiaq by 11cms in lenght
Thankfully there are a bank of physical buttons above the console which control heating/air-con, so no need for stabbing at a screen to demist the windscreen.
To free up extra space the gear selector lever differs to that of its sibling Enyaq and is now mounted on the steering column.
Also making its Skoda debut is the Phone Box that enables inductive charging of two smartphones at 15W and includes a cooling function. Special magnets are built into the docking stations so your phone doesn’t slide around as the car negotiates trick bends. You also get four USB-C ports with an output of 45W to ensure fast charging of phones, tablets or even laptops.
Alongside the seven‑seat layout, the Peaq is also available as a five‑seater. In this configuration, it offers the largest boot of any Skoda model, with a cavernous 1,010 litres. In the seven-seater and all pews in position you’ll still pack up to 299 litres of luggage in there. Also for the first time in a Skoda EV there’s an additional 37‑litre storage compartment in the ‘Frunk’ — ideal for charging cables, spare washer fluid or a rain coat.
Irish customers can choose from five interior designs, including the top end Sportline (L&K may come later). At the top of the range are two Suite Design Selection options finished in Techtona, a high‑quality leather alternative, offered in black and a light grey called Ceramique.
Deep roof spoiler adds a dollop of sportiness to the rear of the Peaq
The Loft Design Selection combines grey textile upholstery with black Techtona on the trim and seats. The higher‑specification Lodge Design Selection features grey embossed textile seats in combination with a green tone Techtona. Completing the range is the Sportline Lounge Design Selection, which combines Suedia upholstery with Techtona.
All come with ambient lighting and a heated multi-functional steering wheel badged with the Skoda lettering. A two‑spoke steering wheel is used across the range, while the Sportline version features a threespoke with Hands‑Off Detection and regenerative braking paddles.
Selected interiors are exclusively animal free, sustainable, and incorporate more than 50 kg of recycled materials; leather upholstery will also become available later. Ergonomic seats with a pneumatic massage function are available as an option as is the panoramic glass roof with digital frosting of the glass at the touch of a button.
It wouldn’t be a true Skoda without a couple of Simply Clever details, so the Peaq comes with the legendary umbrella in the door, wiper blades with integrated washers, foldable table for the centre console, electric roller shutter in the boot and the ice scraper in the charging cap.
New Peaq is available as a five or a seven-seater
Customers will be able to choose from three powertrains — the 60, 90 (RWD), and 90x (AWD) — delivering outputs ranging from 200 to 300bhp. The entry level model is powered by a 63kWh battery and has a claimed range of 460kms while the 90 and 90X are fitted with a larger 91kWh unit.
The 90 and 90x models offer a range of more than 600 kms and can be charged from 10 to 80pc capacity via DC fast charging in just 28 minutes. The 60 variant manages the same in just 27 minutes.
Drive-wise, we had the just over an hour on the breathtakingly twisty roads around Lake Como last week and I must admit the drive and handling were as spectacular as the epic views.
Unlike the Italian drivers we met along the western shore close to George Clooney’s pad in Laglio, the heavily disguised Peaq behaved impeccably and despite its sheer size, proved agile, nimble and perfectly suited to every challenge thrown at it.
In the five seat version, the Peaq has a massive 1010 litres of luggage space
Granted, we can’t make a call on the real life range, but judging how accurate the Elroq and Enyaq are, I’d bet the Peaq is not too far off the WLTP figure.
If it does mirror its siblings, and is pitched at the right price, this new flagship model could cause absolute havoc in the 7-seat EV segment.
The new Skoda Peaq, without the camo, won’t arrive in Irish showrooms until January next year, but in August a limited number of left-hand drive pre-production models will be landing for static display at selected Skoda dealers.
Irish pricing and specifications for Peaq are expected in October but insiders tell us that numbers available for Ireland is limited to just 500 units.