ŠKODA SUPERB iV: a flagship model for two worlds

› First ŠKODA with plug-in-hybrid drive has an electric range of up to 62 km
› Combination of an electric motor and a petrol engine provides a total range of up to 930 km
› Maximum power output of 160 kW (218 PS) as well as three driving modes to choose from

Mladá Boleslav, 25 November 2019 – The new SUPERB iV is the perfect flagship model for two worlds. ŠKODA’s first production plug-in hybrid has an all-electric range of up to 62 km in the WLTP cycle and an unrestricted long-distance capability covering a total of up to 930 km. In E-mode, the SUPERB iV provides zero-emission and particularly quiet driving – perfect for modern cities and low-emission zones. Following on from the start of production at the Kvasiny plant in September this year, the SUPERB iV will be launched onto the market at the beginning of 2020.

The SUPERB iV is the first ŠKODA to have two hearts beating under its bonnet. Depending on the situation and the selected driving mode, these provide drive either individually or as a pair, and combine the benefits of an electric motor and a combustion engine. The electric motor has a power output of 85 kW and, in conjunction with a lithium-ion battery, gives the SUPERB iV an all-electric, and thereby zero-emission, range of up to 62 km in the WLTP cycle.

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This allows it to complete most daily journeys, even in urban metropolises such as Prague, Berlin and Paris. The SUPERB iV’s 1.4 TSI petrol engine – delivering 115 kW (156 PS) – and 50-litre petrol tank, mean the hybrid drive system, which is available for the Ambition and Style trim levels as well as for the SPORTLINE and L&K variants, also boasts unrestricted long-distance capability. With a fully charged battery and full petrol tank, drivers heading off on a business trip behind the wheel of a company car, or on holiday with their family can thereby cover up to 930 km without any refuelling stops.

When both power units are working together, the SUPERB iV has a combined power output of 160 kW (218 PS). Here, the power from the electric motor acts as an additional boost, providing dynamic driving performance. This means the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds and its top speed is 224 km/h. To be able to experience this level of agility, the car must be set to Sport mode using Driving Mode Select or by using the button on the centre console. Vehicle parameters such as the steering, 6-speed DSG – which comes as standard and features a third clutch that acts as a coupling between the petrol engine and electric motor – and Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), which is also standard, are then automatically switched to their sportiest setting.

In addition to Sport mode, drivers can also select E-mode and Hybrid mode. In E-mode, the SUPERB iV is powered entirely by the electric motor. It can then travel almost silently and accelerate from 0 to 60 km/h in 5.0 seconds. However, to ensure pedestrians and cyclists hear an approaching SUPERB iV in good time, the E-noise sound generator creates a unique sound. In Hybrid mode, both power units work together and their interplay is automatically controlled electronically. This makes the combined consumption 1.5 l of petrol per 100 km and 14.0 to 14.5 kWh per 100 km, which corresponds to CO₂ emissions of 33 to 35 g/km.

In addition to the two power units, the traction battery and control electronics are key parts of the plug in-hybrid system. The control electronics coordinate the connection between the charging device and the battery, convert the direct current from the battery into the alternating current that drives the electric motor, and also ensures that the car’s 12-volt circuit is powered. The 37-Ah high-voltage traction battery has a gross capacity of 13 kWh corresponding to a net capacity of 10.4 kWh. The lithium-ion battery is built into the chassis floor in front of the rear axle. It stores the power required for electric drive, as well as for the heating and the Climatronic system’s compressor.

The SUPERB iV offers four different ways to recharge the traction battery. If the battery is flat, it can be fully charged in about three and a half hours using the optional Mode 3 charging cable and a wall box with a charging output of 3.6 kW. Using the Mode 2 cable that comes as standard, it is possible to charge the battery in approximately five hours using a conventional 2.3-kW household plug socket. Whilst in motion, the SUPERB iV can charge its battery or maintain the battery level using the petrol engine. This means the desired electric range, which can be set to one of several levels using the central display, is always available to cover the ‘last mile’ – in urban low-emission zones, for example.

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Energy is also recovered while braking thanks to recuperation. If the driver moves the drive selector backwards from D, drive mode B is activated. In this mode, the electric motor takes over vehicle deceleration and, as a result, a particularly large amount of energy is recovered. This also happens to a lesser extent when the car is in D mode, the driver takes their foot off the accelerator and the SUPERB iV is ‘coasting’ on downhill stretches.