New all-electric, 7-seat Skoda SUV set for 2026 launch
Skoda will rapidly grow its range of all-electric vehicles in the next few years
Skoda’s all-electric line up currently consists of just one car, the Enyaq, but the Czech manufacturer will expand this to six models by 2026 - including a range-topping seven-seat SUV.
The patent images we found of the car show the same design featured in the future model lineup image that Skoda teased us with last year. The picture included the Karoq-sized Skoda Elroq, a family estate and updated versions of the Enyaq and Enyaq Coupe as well as this new flagship SUV.
The design of the new seven-seat SUV adheres to Skoda’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design language, which was previewed by the Vision 7S concept. The production version of the Vision 7S will be almost five metres long with a traditional SUV bodystyle, making it an all-electric alternative to the Kodiaq. The seven-seat EV will be much more expensive than the £36k Kodiaq, however, with pricing expected to reach £60,000.
Simply referred to as ‘Space’ by Skoda, the seven-seater shows some interesting quirks in the design images. There are no badges with the traditional Skoda emblem replaced with ‘Skoda’ lettering front and rear. There’s also a wider stance to the car thanks to chunky wheel arches, clean surfacing with sharp lines and more simple bumper design front and rear compared to the Skoda Vision 7S concept.
Below the bonnet line there’s a section which resembles an internal-combustion engine car’s grille, but this is expected to be a new variation of the Skoda ‘Tech Deck’. This is a plastic piece of trim that contrasts with the exterior paint and incorporates sensors for driver assistance systems - the sides of this trim section should flow into a set of LED headlights.
It might not arrive until 2026, but Skoda’s flagship model should be the last all-new car to utilise the basic MEB underpinnings found on the current Enyaq. With the extra wheelbase we expect to see a larger battery fitted than the Enyaq’s latest 82kWh unit (the Vision 7S featured an 89kWh battery) which could allow for more range than the Enyaq’s current 348-mile maximum. Using older MEB technology could reduce manufacturing costs at Skoda’s Mladá Boleslav factory in comparison to the VW Group’s upcoming SSP architecture, which is also due to launch in 2026.
Inside the new car we’ll see a more sedate cabin layout than the wild 6+1 seating arrangement of the Vision 7S, which also featured rear-hinged rear doors and no B-pillar (like a Honda Element). Skoda points out that its ‘Modern Solid’ design language extends to the interior with an focus on making “the user experience as simple and intuitive as possible” thanks to the use of physical controls.
What does the future hold for Skoda? We talk to the brand's CEO...