Upcoming Skoda electric SUV christened Enyaq

Skoda has confirmed that its upcoming electric SUV, the brand's first model designed as an EV from the ground up, will be called Enyaq. 

Derived from the Irish name Enya, meaning 'source of life', the name continues the 'Q' theme of Skoda's existing combustion SUVs such as the Kamiq, Karoq and Kodiaq. The 'E' is also said to be a reference to electromobility. 

The Enyaq will be the production version of Skoda's Vision iV concept that was revealed last year, and which our sister publication Autocar UK has been behind the wheel of in prototype form. It'll go on sale in 2021, with Skoda promising at least 10 electrified model launches under the iV sub-brand by the end of 2022. 

The 4.66m-long Kodiaq-sized four-door coupé crossover is based on VW Group’s MEB platform and, in concept form, uses a 306hp four-wheel-drive EV powertrain, offering almost 500km of range and the ability to charge up to 80 percent in 30 minutes. 

The SUV-coupe’s cabin shows a design that has moved on from current Skoda interiors, with a multi-level dashboard, large free-standing central screen and a minimalist look. The absence of a transmission tunnel in the EV allows "plenty of storage space", according to the firm, alongside a compartment allowing two mobile phones to be wirelessly charged.

Said to provide "a specific outlook of the brand's electric future", the Vision iV is a more production-previewing concept than the Vision E concept that was revealed in 2017. Although, in profile, the two concepts look nearly identical, the grille of the Vision iV features a traditional slatted design rather than the blanked-off item on the Vision E. A full-width LED daytime running light sits underneath the main headlights, while the Skoda name at the rear is backlit in red. 

Last year, the company revealed that the production version of the Vision iV will be sold with both, standard SUV and coupé variants, akin to the Kodiaq and China-only Kodiaq GT. First deliveries of the production model in the UK are due in 2021, but it's not yet clear which variant will arrive first.

In India, Skoda’s range is getting a refresh, ahead of the BS6 emissions deadline in April. Models like the Rapid, the facelifted Superb and Kodiaq have all ditched diesel engines in favour of new petrol units instead. The carmaker will also launch the Karoq SUV this year, and in 2021, the production-spec Vision IN SUV.