All-electric Skoda Octavia in the works

Skoda has begun work on an all-electric Octavia sedan that will join the brand’s already expanding EV line-up that also has models like the India-bound Enyaq. The combustion-engined Octavia is due a mid-life update that will debut in 2024.

• Octavia EV will get Modern Solid Design language
• Likely to arrive later in the decade
• Current-gen Octavia to get a facelift in 2024

Skoda Octavia EV: to adopt VW Group’s SSP architecture

The electric Skoda Octavia is primed to debut later this decade as the Czech firm rapidly bolsters its EV line-up. Skoda is targeting 70 percent of its profits to be from EV sales by 2030. When the electric Octavia arrives, it will join a seven-seat electric SUV (previewed by the newly revealed Vision 7S concept), a city EV, a crossover – all due internationally by 2026 – and a mini-SUV that will replace the current-gen Skoda Fabia. 

There are talks of the combustion-engined Octavia continuing for some international markets, and this version would continue to sit on the current platform. The all-electric Octavia would switch to Volkswagen Group’s EV only platform.

Given that the electric Octavia will arrive later in the decade, it is likely to eschew the MEB architecture currently being used for mainstream cars such as the Volkswagen ID 3 and Volkswagen ID 4, and instead be one of the early models to adopt the VW Group’s SSP architecture, which will be launched in 2025.

The electric Octavia is expected to get a more rugged look than the current model, in keeping with Skoda’s recently announced ‘Modern Solid’ design language reboot, which places a focus on SUV-type styling.

Skoda Octavia EV: battery, powertrain and range details

The Octavia EV is expected to use a more advanced version of Skoda’s new 89kWh battery, which is due in 2024-'25 with a WLTP range of more than 595km and a charging rate of up to 200kW – far quicker than any mainstream VW Group EV on sale today. This battery is expected to power two front motors on the standard car and four motors (one fitted to each wheel) on any sportier vRS variants.

Skoda Octavia: What’s in store for India?

The current-gen Octavia could go off the shelf in India sometime next year due to the upcoming RDE (Real Driving Emission) norms. Skoda India, however, is likely to introduce the Octavia RS iV with plug-in hybrid tech in limited numbers, sometime next year.