Skoda’s latest edition to its all-electric line-up has been teased, and it’s an electric vehicle (EV) that more people should be able to afford.
The Epiq crossover will be fully unveiled in 2025, but we already know some of its vital statistics, including its proposed price.
It is expected to cost €25,000, which is equivalent to just over £21,000, making it Skoda’s cheapest electric car by far.
With recent reports suggesting electric vehicles will be cheaper to produce than petrol cars by 2027, and the imminent arrival of Dacia’s first electric model in October priced as low as £15,000, could we be seeing the first wave of affordable next generation batteries? Motor vehicles?
The Skoda Epiq, an electric urban crossover SUV, will be fully unveiled in 2025. Here’s a preview of what it could look like and, more importantly, how much it will cost…
Is the Epiq another sign that electric vehicles are becoming more affordable?
Currently, the Czech brand’s most affordable all-electric model is the Enyaq family SUV, which starts at £38,970.
It means the Epiq could cost almost half the entry price of a Skoda EV when it comes out next year.
Its arrival could see Skoda confront head-on one of the biggest obstacles preventing Brits from switching to electric vehicles en masse.
In addition to concerns about a sparse and unreliable public charging network and range anxiety, the higher starting price of electric cars has seen public demand for them fall significantly in recent months.
Official figures show that sales of electric vehicles to ordinary drivers fell by almost a fifth in the first two months of 2024.
Of the almost 40,000 new electric cars registered in January and February, only 6,500 were purchased by individuals.
The remaining 33,500 (representing around 84 per cent of all registrations in the two months) were purchased by fleet and leasing companies as a result of lucrative tax benefits, including the salary sacrifice scheme.
Expected to cost €25,000 (which at current exchange rates equates to £21,360), this will be the cheapest electric Skoda by quite some distance.
But market research firm Gartner predicts this month that electric vehicles could become more attractive to private car buyers from 2027, when lower manufacturing costs should translate into more affordable electric vehicle prices.
It claims that over the next three years new manufacturing methods will reduce production costs below those of a comparable internal combustion engine vehicle. As such, electric vehicles should have price parity with gasoline cars sooner than expected.
The predicted drop in electric vehicle prices couldn’t come soon enough.
Currently, Brits will struggle to find many electric cars when shopping on a tight budget.
In fact, there are only seven electric cars (not including the £8,495 Citroen Ami quadricycle) on sale in the UK today priced at £30,000 or less.
This includes the Vauxhall Corsa Electric (from £26,895), BYD Dolphin (from £25,490), MG4 (from £26,995), Fiat 500e (from £28,195, although it drops to £25,195 with Fiat’s e-grant scheme), Nissan Leaf (from £28,495 while stocks last), Mazda MX-30 (from £28,995) and next-gen Mini Cooper E (from £30,000).
However, Dacia is set to lower the price tag for electric vehicles with the arrival of its first battery-powered car this year.
The Spring EV will arrive in UK dealerships in October. AND The budget brand has already confirmed it will start from £14,995.
That will make it Britain’s sixth cheapest new car on all fuel types and should, in theory, force rivals to cut their own EV prices to compete.
Volkswagen has also previewed its upcoming ID.2, which is expected to arrive in 2026 with the same €25,000 starting price as the Epiq.
The Epiq follows Skoda’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design language that ‘combines robustness, functionality and authenticity’, and is minimalist and elegant with some original features.
The compact electric vehicle should also be practical. It will have a range of approximately 248 miles and will have two-way charging.
What we know about the Skoda Epiq…
It will be the second of six new electric vehicles scheduled to launch in the coming years to transform the manufacturer’s all-electric range.
Naturally, Skoda wants the Epiq to focus on families, but it hopes to reach the all-important lifestyle-oriented customer as well.
Despite being a city car, the Epiq will have much more autonomy than is necessary for urban driving.
Skoda quotes a range of 248 miles on a single charge.
Helpfully and efficiently, Epiq will also support bi-directional charging, so that the car can feed excess electrical energy to the customer’s home or power appliances.
As a crossover SUV, you can expect family-friendly space with 490 liters of boot capacity. It’s a little shorter than the Enyaq (4.1 meters long), but there should still be enough space for five people.
While Skoda isn’t traditionally the brand you’d turn to for glamorous design and eye-catching looks, the Epiq is surprisingly stylish.
Following its new ‘Modern Solid’ design language that ‘combines robustness, functionality and authenticity’, the Epiq will have a sculpted bonnet with new Skoda branding, a ‘Tech-Deck Face’ (the latest from Skoda for a grille) as well as Sloping lines in its profile, roof and rear window pillars.
The lights, both front and rear, have a completely new T-shape and the front bumper has rectangular cutouts for an additional original feel, as do the wheel arches with contrasting mouldings.
There will be a large floating touchscreen and the Epiq will come with wireless charging as well as a mobile digital key so owners can have a smart device experience.
‘Flashy Orange’ accents on the dash and seats mimic those on the exterior, and the two-spoke steering wheel has the same new Skoda lettering as the exterior.
‘Simply Clever’ cubbies for flexible excess luggage are located throughout the interior and boot. This is a very popular feature across the Skoda range to increase versatility.
Skoda has said it is pursuing a “minimalist” look for the Epiq, especially in its cabin.
The brand is becoming a market leader in futuristic technology, and its cheapest electric vehicle will have a large floating touchscreen, as well as the addition of wireless charging.
A mobile digital key will also debut to give owners a smart device experience.
Durable, practical and sustainable materials line the cabin. It has similar similarities with other Skoda EV models, but it is undoubtedly much more open, clean and sharp.
The cabin appears to be one large storage space with plenty of open compartments, a floating center console and ‘Simply Clever’ cubbies for flexible luggage dotted around the interior and boot, always a family favorite feature.
The ‘Flashy Orange’ accents continue inside, and the two-spoke steering wheel has a mix of physical buttons and haptic scrolls; the latter is not as popular in other VW Group models on sale today, such as the Golf Mk8. .
While the Epiq won’t be introduced in full production until 2025, the new Elroq, a larger electric SUV, will be the first vehicle to be launched as part of the upcoming electric model campaign, scheduled to debut later this year. year.
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