The Skoda Vision-E
concept has been officially revealed for the 2017 Auto Shanghai as the
company’s first fully electric driven concept car.Based on the Volkswagen
Group’s MEB architecture, which is also used on the BUDD-e Concept, the
Vision-E is fitted with two electric motors (one for each axle) that provide
300 hp. This allows it to accelerate to a top speed of 180 km/h, and
thanks to the “powerful lithium-ion batteries and intelligent brake energy
recovery,” will provide a range of up to 500 km.
The battery pack is liquid cooled and position deep
in the chassis floor to better protect it in the event of a crash, and can be
recharged inductively via a floor-mounted charging pad. A full charge should be
completed overnight using this technology but if you still prefer a cable, it
will quickly charge to 80% in just 30 minutes.
Electromobility is a pretty big deal for Skoda,
which has plans to introduce five fully electric cars to its portfolio by 2025.
Within this timeframe, the carmaker is also looking to add vehicles with
plug-in hybrid technology from 2019 onwards. These vehicles are said to target
different segments and will be crutial in the company’s growth plans.
The electric drivetrain is only part of
what makes the Vision-E such a significant introduction for Skoda. The other
important bit is the car’s self-driving capabilities, which is claimed to meet
the requirements for level 3 autonomous driving.
The car is capable of operating
independently in traffic jams, complete motorway journeys using autopilot, stay
in lane or take evasive actions, overtake other vehicles, independently look
for free parking spaces and drive in and out of parking spaces autonomously.
The Vision-E exhibits its
electric credentials by not having a conventional front grille. The “clean”
face merely hosts the slim Matrix LED headlights as well as a wide LED lighting
strip that runs across the vehicle’s entire width.
The five-door SUV displays its
coupe-esque styling with a roofline that gently slopes towards the rear. As
seen on other concepts, cameras replace the traditional side mirrors as well,
plus the Vision-E has three electrically operated openings for the rear-hinged
doors and tailgate.
At the rear, the sharp, triangular taillights are
reminiscent of those found on the Kodiaq and feature LED technology. They also
form part of the wedge shape seen here, which meets up with an additional LED
lighting strip integrated into the lower apron. No tailpipes as you can tell,
for obvious reasons. Dimension wise, the SUV measures 4,645 mm long, 1,917 mm
wide, 1,550 mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,850 mm.
Inside, there are multiple points of entry for natural
light thanks to the generous use of glass, including on the vehicle’s roof. The
Vision-E comes with four individual seats that can be rotated by up to 20
degrees allowing for easier ingress and egress, and each comes with its own
Phonebox for smartphones.
As each passenger has access to
their own displays, with the ones at the front positioned on the dashboard,
while the rear ones are fitted to the backrests of the front seats.
These displays are hooked up an infotainment system
that provides navigation, information, entertainment and other connected
features. Selected functions can also be accessed via gesture controls as part
of the human machine interface (HMI).
