Overview
Skoda Auto a.s., more commonly referred to as Skoda, is headquartered in the Czech Republic. The founders of Škoda, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement were initially involved with the manufacturing of bicycles and motorcycles. In due course they progressed to trucks and eventually to cars, establishing Skoda in 1925.
From 1948 the company was state owned. In 1991, the company began partial privatisation and become part of the German automotive group, Volkswagen AG in 1994. The company became a wholly owned Volkswagen subsidiary in 2000. The Skoda brand has come a long way since then. Skoda vehicles are now sold in over 100 countries with over 1.25 million annual units sold globally.
Skoda is committed to an electrification strategy. The Citigo-e IV was the first all-electric vehicle from Skoda. Order books for this BEV opened in December 2019. The sales of the Citigo-e IV EV was terminated in 2020. Since then, Skoda has launched a number of EVs. The company currently has the following battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs):
- All-electric Skoda ENYAQ iV
- All-electric Skoda ENYAQ Coupé iV
- All-electric Skoda Elroq
- Skoda OCTAVIA iV Plug-In Hybrid Estate
- Skoda OCTAVIA Plug-In Hybrid Hatch
- Skoda SUPERB iV Plug-In Hybrid Hatch
- Skoda SUPERB iV Plug-In Hybrid Estate
Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
Sign up to the e-zoomed Electric Living newsletter
The Skoda Octavia PHEV Estate
The Skoda Octavia family car has been manufactured since 1996. The model is currently on its fourth generation. The Octavia has sold well since its introduction, with more than five million cars sold. The fourth generation Octavia was unveiled in Prague in November 2019. Deliveries commenced in 2020. The Skoda Octavia is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Skoda has developed rather successfully a reputation for ‘value for money’ in relation to family cars, and in particular, the Octavia estate has achieved leadership in its segment. Given that the availability of practical and affordable estate electric cars is limited, the Skoda Octavia plug-in hybrid is well positioned for families and company-car drivers seeking a spacious, affordable and environmentally-friendly car.
The Skoda Octavia estate plug-in hybrid has a 13 kW onboard EV battery, quite typical for PHEVs in this price segment. The manufacturer claims an EV range up to 43 miles (WLTP certified). Even adjusting for real-world driving, the electric car should be able to achieve up to 37 miles, which is reasonably good in comparison to other plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Do keep in mind that the majority of family trips are short distances i.e. school-runs, grocery store, shopping etc. The average distanced travelled in a day in the UK is 30 miles (2/3rd motorists), so an electric range up to 35 miles is more than sufficient to take advantage of the benefits of electric driving.
Even, for those that drive to work, driving on electric mode works well, as the electric car can be charged at home and at work (workplace EV charging)! For those weekend getaways, the petrol engine can be utilised for the longer drives.
Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Skoda offers a 8 years or 100,000 miles warranty.
The PHEV is not DC charging compatible (most PHEVs are not) and has a 3.6 kW onboard charger. The PHEV can be fully charged in 3.5 hours. Using a 3-PIN socket will take up to 5 hours. In any case, we at e-zoomed recommend charging the EV overnight, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper. Of course, we also encourage using green energy to charge the EV!
Moreover, driving on e-mode improves the efficiency of the electric vehicle i.e. lower motoring costs! Skoda claims the PHEV has a fuel economy up to 270.3 mpg. Real-world economy will certainly be lower, but substantially better compared to the conventional internal combustion (ICE) variant (40.7 mpg).
The Octavia plug-in electric car offers decent performance, appropriate for this type of family estate car. The 1.4-litre TSI iV petrol engine (4-cylinders) is paired with an electric motor. The plug-in electric car can achieve 0-62 mph in 7.8 seconds. The top speed of the EV is 137 mph. The total system performance is up to 245 PS and 250 Nm torque. Certainly suitable for city and motorway driving. Of course, do keep in mind that the EV also benefits from instant torque.
Practicality is a strong point for the Octavia PHEV. The vehicle offers generous interior cabin space for front and rear seat passengers, to include legroom and headroom. The EV is certainly comfortable. The boot space has been reduced due to the placement of the onboard EV battery. Nevertheless there is up to 490 L cargo volume on offer!
For company-car drivers, there is the added benefit of lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-8%) tax bills, given the lower tailpipe emission of the PHEV (27g CO2/km), compared to the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) variant (157g CO2/km). The plug-in electric car does not qualify for the UK government plug-in car grant (PiCG).
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet. You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
A value for money plug-in family estate car | Lacks fun factor |
Decent level of standard equipment | On board charger limited to 3.6 kW AC |
Cheap to run on electric mode | Exterior styling lacks inspiration |
The Skoda Octavia Plug-In Hybrid Estate (credit: Skoda)
At A Glance | |
---|---|
EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
Body Type: | Estate |
Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG): | Not Available |
Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
Available In UK: | Yes |
Variants (3 Options) |
---|
Skoda Octavia SE Technology (from £33,835) |
Skoda Octavia SE L (from £35,880) |
Skoda Octavia VRS (from £36,875) |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
---|---|
EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 13 kWh |
Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3.5 hrs) |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 23 – 27g (CO2/km) |
EV Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 100,000 miles |
Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
---|---|
Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | £1.27 |
Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | £1.67 |
Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | £1.73 |
Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | £1.89 |
Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | £2.03 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
Charging Times (Overview) | |
---|---|
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Height (mm): | 1500 |
Width (mm): | 1829 |
Length (mm): | 4702 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 2680 |
Turning Circle (m): | 11.1 |
Boot capacity (L): | 490 |
Plug-In Hybrid 1.4 TSI iV | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 13.0 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 43 miles |
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/mil): | 143.0 – 148.7 |
Fuel Consumption (mpg) | 233.3 – 270.3 |
Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3.5 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 137 mph |
0-62 mph: | 7.8 seconds |
Drive: | Available in FWD and AWD |
Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
Max Power (PS): | 204 – 245 |
Torque (Nm): | 250 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Total Weight (kg): | 2,090 – 2,163 |
Colours: | 7 – 10 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.