Introducing Skoda Vision O: The future of the Octavia?
At the IAA, Skoda is presenting the study of an electric estate car that clearly stands out visually from all of the brand's previous models.
(Image: Skoda)
For some time now, the Octavia has only been available with petrol and diesel engines. The two plug-in hybrids were removed from the range more than two years ago. This form of electrification will not return in the current generation. Instead, Skoda is already concentrating on the successor. A study at the IAA shows which direction this could take.
How close to series production is a study?
There is a lot of speculation about how close it will look to the production model expected at the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027. What is certain is that the Skoda Vision O will tower over the current Octavia by around 20 cm and thus enter the segment in which the Skoda Superb, VW Passat and VW ID.7 Tourer, among others, are currently competing. For this reason alone, what is shown at the show is probably not an exact copy of the next Octavia. Rather, it is likely to be an indication of where Skoda design is heading in the foreseeable future.
Study gimmicks
The overall shape is rounded, with a few sharp edges. Rear doors that are hinged at the rear are unlikely to make it into series production. The lights at the front and rear and the illuminated Skoda lettering have a much better chance. There are also details in the interior that will remain a study gimmick. These include the partially transparent headrests, the center console without any shelves and the inductive charging trays, which probably offer no support for smartphones. However, we will probably see the rollers next to the steering wheel buttons or the screen in portrait format again. It is also interesting that Skoda had a similar idea to BMW: the 1.2 m wide, flat bar under the windshield should also be able to be individually filled with any content.
Skoda Vision O Innenraum (6 Bilder)
Skoda
)Drive speculation
No details were given in advance about the drive system. Vision O has a battery-electric powertrain with unknown key data. It therefore remains speculation, at least for the time being. In an estate car of this format, even the base model is likely to have significantly more than 70 kWh of energy content rather than less. If the market continues to develop as it has so far in the coming years, I expect the peak to be at least 90 kWh – more likely around 100. The costs per kilowatt hour are falling, while customer expectations continue to rise.
Skoda Vision O außen (8 Bilder)
Skoda
)Charging capacity
The latter also applies to charging capacity, although attention here has been shifting away from peak performance for some time. What is ultimately interesting is what range can be recharged in what time. It will therefore not only be interesting to see how quickly the window between 10 and 80 percent is closed, but also what this 70 percent is worth in terms of range. In the race for short charging times, the Volkswagen Group is currently ahead of Audi and Porsche rather than the other brands, which tend to be in the middle of the field. A look at the top 10 best-selling electric cars shows how decisive this point is on average when making a purchase decision. Only the Audi Q6 (position 8) and A6 (position 10) deliver more than 200 kW at their peak, all others are below this mark.
(mfz)