This is no exercise in design, but a prototype of a real model. “Having successfully launched our SUV offensive with the KODIAQ and KAROQ, the next step is to enter a new sub-segment. In other words, the VISION X will be available as a production model as early as next year. And, as always with our concept cars, the exterior design follows the principle of ‘what you see is what you get’, whereas with the interior design and the drivetrain we are looking a little bit further into the future,” said Bernhard Maier, ŠKODA AUTO board chairman.
“The VISION X’s drive really is highly innovative,” explained Christian Strube, the ŠKODA AUTO board member responsible for technical development. “Environmental sustainability is a core value of the ŠKODA brand. The pioneering combination of a CNG internal combustion engine with electric drive can cut emissions by as much as 20%. And if the engine were to run on syngas or biogas, the VISION X’s carbon footprint would be zero.”
This clever drive mix of natural gas and recuperated electric power will enable the VISION X to achieve extremely low emissions of 89 CO2 g/km. “It’s a solution that is environmentally friendly, practical for everyday use, and, most importantly, affordable for customers,” said Bernhard Maier.
Alternative drives are a major near-future topic and ŠKODA AUTO attaches great importance to them. “We are launching our biggest investment programme ever. In the next five years, we will be channelling more than EUR 2 billion into the development of alternative drive technologies and new mobility services,” announced Bernhard Maier. The aim of these investments is to launch the brand’s first plug-in hybrid in 2019, when the eCITIGO – an affordable car ideal for city traffic – will also become available. This will be followed in 2020 by a true milestone for ŠKODA – the production version of the VISION E, an electric SUV boasting a range of more than 500 km.
