2025 Skoda Enyaq electric SUV in Australia late next year, first details revealed

Skoda Australia has confirmed the first details of its first electric vehicle, the 2025 Skoda Enyaq iV – but customer deliveries are still up to 18 months away from commencement.

The Skoda Enyaq went on sale in Europe in regular 'wagon' form at the start of 2021 – and sleeker Coupe guise a year ago – but production constraints mean it is not due in Australia until the end of next year.

Skoda Australia has expressed interest in wagon and Coupe versions of the Enyaq – which is underpinned by the same MEB electric-car platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 SUV also due in Australia next year.

There will be two model grades initially: a long-range rear-wheel-drive 'Enyaq 85' version, and an all-wheel-drive Enyaq RS performance model.

Prices are not due to be announced for another nine to 12 months, however the rear-wheel-drive launch model is set to cost more than a petrol Skoda Kodiaq RS, which is currently $74,990 drive-away.

This rear-wheel-drive launch model is expected to be highly equipped, though it is yet to be finalised if it will be fitted with the Laurin and Klement luxury package, or black-trimmed Sportline pack offered in Europe.

Pre-orders are scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2024 (April to June), ahead of the start of production near the middle of next year, and the first deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2024 (October to December).

This is a few months later than the mid 2024 timing previously anticipated for first deliveries, and the second half of 2023 target previously indicated for the start of orders.

These dates are pending any further delays. Skoda Australia says it is working to move these timelines forward, but it is yet to receive the green light from head office in Europe to do so.

Australian models will benefit from the upgrades introduced on the Laurin and Klement variant in Europe, including a larger battery pack and an upgraded electric motor for the rear-wheel-drive model.

The battery has an 82kWh gross capacity for up to 570km of claimed WLTP driving range, and gains a 210kW rear electric motor replacing the previous 150kW unit.

The new rear motor makes the rear-drive Enyaq 85 the most powerful Skoda ever sold – with the exception of the 220kW output of the dual-motor Enyaq RS.

"The delays [for Enyaq] were simply because as the first electric car, the decision to bring the car has to be done about two years before we actually have it," Skoda Australia boss Michael Irmer told Drive.

"And at the time the [government electric-car] policy wasn't there, the [sales] figures weren't there. When you look at VFACTS [industry sales data] the BEV [battery-electric] car figures were negligible.

"So the judgement was, sorry, Australia is not ready for it yet, let's put it in the second wave [of overseas launches].

"When we realised about 12 months ago the market is about to change, the new government came in and made clear guidance of where they want to go [with an electric-vehicle strategy], we basically pushed harder [with head office], we got to have that sooner," Mr Irmer said.

The delays in the launch of the Skoda Enyaq in Australia have been extended by long wait times in Europe – for which Skoda prioritises electric-car production due to strict vehicle emissions standards – that now stretch to 18 months.

"The only thing which was standing in the way [was an] 18-month wait time [in Europe] all of a sudden. So because they have 18 months wait ... they said to us, you can have it in 18 months," Mr Irmer told Drive.

"We said this is terrible, that's too late. But every vehicle customer had to wait as long ... even in markets which had already launched.

"So [the Enyaq] is maybe a little late, but the upside [is] we launch it with the strongest [most powerful] Skoda ever made and it's not a bad thing either. So I'm quite happy with that outcome."

Mr Irmer said the company has not begun to decide on prices for the Enyaq, as it is still 18 months away – and standard equipment lists are yet to be locked in.

However he used the seven-seat Kodiaq RS performance SUV – currently priced from $74,990 drive-away – as a reference for where the Enyaq 85 rear-wheel drive could sit.

"We don't really know [where it will be priced yet] but I think you can probably make some assumptions yourself when we bring the car ... the one version we bring is a car with everything ... probably we do an L&K [Laurin and Klement]," the executive said.

"The best car to compare with this one is with Kodiaq RS ... you have have similar power, similar performance, similar package, minus two seats. The equipment level's very similar ... so roughly the [Kodiaq] RS is a good comparison to start with.

"And then there is of course always a bit of extra cost, because it's just simply more expensive to make [electric vehicles] because of the battery cost."

Mr Irmer said the Enyaq may cost "a bit" more to buy than the Kodiaq RS, but some buyers may be able to close the cost of ownership gap quickly if they are charging at home on solar power.

The executive said Skoda Australia is asking head office "for good [stock] to be ready, but what we get, we'll see. It's too early."