Beneath the garish camouflage paint job, this is a first peek at the Peaq, a seven-seater all-electric SUV that’s the biggest, most luxurious and high-tech Škoda ever built.
The company has just shared the preliminary details of this classy new plug-in minibus. It's also taken the heavily disguised pre-production model on a jaunt around Italy’s scenic Lake Como – meaning that the location threatens to upstage the vehicle in the press photos.
It may be a big new flagship for the Czech brand, but first looks reveal it’s a typically sensible Škoda. Its headline features include spaciousness, a comfortable ride, easy driving, and lots of useful practical touches throughout.
Unless you’re a Škoda enthusiast (are there such people?), you may have lost track of the solid and sensible VW-owned brand’s extensive range of SUVs and its very Q-laden naming system. This new Peaq slots above the Enyaq, Elroq, and forthcoming entry-level Epiq in the pure electric-vehicle (EV) lineup. The smaller Kamiq and Karoq are petrol- or diesel-powered, while the big Kodiaq is offered with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power.
Lost? Never mind. Just remember that this is now the biggest. It’s a chunky 4.5 in (116 mm) longer than even the hefty old Kodiaq. It’s roughly the same height though, so even with the camo paint job, it looks almost as long as a small minibus.
In some ways, that’s just what it is: the Peaq will be offered in either five- or seven-seat form. And if you remember from our recent report on the new Toyota Highlander, a boom in three-row SUVs is being driven by demand for luxury family vehicles that replace traditional minivans.
So the Peaq comes with all the space minivan owners used to love but now want in an SUV format. In the five-seat configuration, luggage capacity is a cavernous 1,010 liters (35.6 cubic feet). That’s 100 liters (3.5 cu ft) more than the Kodiaq. With the third row in place in the seven-seater version, the Peaq can still accommodate 299 liters (10.5 cu ft), which is typical supermini trunk space, plus an additional 37 liters (1.3 cu ft) in the front trunk, now commonly referred to as the 'frunk.'
The big Škoda will offer a choice of two batteries: 63 kWh and 91 kWh. The smaller delivers more than 286 miles (460 km) per charge, while the larger claims over 373 miles (600 km) is possible. Fast charging from 10 to 80% takes around 28 minutes.
Škoda’s performance data shows that the dual-motor 295-hp (220-kW) flagship is the fastest, reaching 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.7 seconds and a limited 112 mph (180 km/h) maximum. Slower single-motor variants will be available with 201 hp and 282 hp.
Prices and much of the interior tech are still under wraps, but the Peaq’s high level of onboard kit is shown by marketing boasts of several firsts for Škoda. It’s the brand’s first model with wiper blades featuring built-in washers. The panoramic glass roof is the largest ever fitted to a Skoda and the first with automatic shade control. Škoda’s first flush door handles electrically pop out (but can also be operated mechanically by pressing the front of the handle).
Other eye-catching standard or optional luxuries include massaging and ventilated seats with electrically adjustable leg rests and a 'wellness app' that adjusts seats, climate, and ambient lighting to create a more relaxing atmosphere. More practical touches include a dual wireless charging pad, an electric roller shutter for the cargo area, and a USB port integrated into the rearview mirror for powering a dashcam.
The Peaq is the latest use of VW Group’s MEB modular electric platform, which has underpinned dozens of models across VW, Škoda, Audi, Cupra, and Ford brands since 2019.
We don't think anyone will be drooling over the Peaq’s photo on their bedroom wall, but on first view it’s a typically likable Škoda: sensible, well-equipped, and practical. It will be a strong contender in that growing seven-seater family SUV market, but other capable rivals are lining up as we speak. The Peugeot E-5008, Kia EV9, and Hyundai Ioniq 9 are leading the pack, but new Chinese rivals with advanced battery tech, like the XPeng G9, NIO EL8 and BYD Tang EV, are likely to be tough opposition too.
Source: Škoda
