Skoda to roll out three new EVs by 2030
Skoda, the Czech carmaker, has rolled out a new business strategy. Called the 'Next Level - Skoda Strategy 2030', it includes the brand’s plans to launch three new all-electric vehicles by the end of the decade. With that, they also plan to grab a 50 to 70 per cent pure-EV market share and become one of the five best-selling brands in European countries by 2030.
To achieve their goals, Skoda is working to transform its Czech home market into a dedicated ‘electromobility hub’, wherein its Mladá Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabí factories will be repurposed as production facilities for EV production. This process is scheduled to begin in 2022, when Skoda takes production of EV batteries in house to supply the Enyaq e-SUV.
Skoda also plans to reach out more in the Asian and African markets. Aside from the aforementioned European market goals, the brand wants to become the best-selling European manufacturer in India, Russia and North Africa by 2030. As part of this plan, Skoda is set to offer the Kushaq, its new made-in-India midsize SUV, in those markets.
Read our review of the Skoda Kushaq here
Skoda hasn't released any details about the upcoming EVs yet, but with its platform sharing relations with sister brand Volkswagen, we can expect them to be based on existing VW platforms like the MEB architecture. Under the new strategy, the brand will cater to three objectives — expand, explore and engage. It will aim to provide "modern accessible mobility with everything you need and surprises you love."
With the Next Level strategy, Skoda also plans to achieve an objective of reducing fleet emissions by more than 50 per cent, compared with 2020 levels, by 2030. All Skoda vehicles produced in the Czech Republic and India will be net carbon-neutral after 2030. This objective is already achieved by the firm's Vrchlabi plant.
Skoda is on a roll in the Indian market. The brand now locally produces the fourth-gen Octavia sedan and the soon to be launched Kushaq mid-size SUV, the latter being a tailor-made product for India that aims to grab a portion of the mid-size SUV pie. The facelifted Kodiaq SUV will also make its way to our shores early next year and Skoda has also hinted at a new sedan, by registering the 'Slavia' name in India, which is suspected to be the new generation Rapid.
It remains to be seen whether Skoda will introduce any of the three planned EVs to the Indian market, as the brand still hasn't brought in the Enyaq EV unveiled globally last year, due to the high cost that will accompany it with both the CBU and CKD routes. So a low cost Skoda EV is still distant for the Indian market, as it will need heavy localisation, but we can only hope.
