Skoda Auto India has not yet stepped into the still small but growing electric vehicle market in India with its Enyaq and Elroq EVs. Now it also has the Epiq, which is at the entry-level end of the market and could be headed for India, although Skoda hasn’t made any official announcement to that effect yet.
The starting price (with 38.5kW battery) as announced for Europe and the UK works out to around ₹31 lakh. However, it is not clear what sort of pricing will be done for the Indian market if at all it makes it here. What is interesting, though, is that the Epiq, according to Skoda, achieves price parity with its ICE counterpart, the Kamiq, in some markets. How that is done would be interesting to see since EVs usually sell at a premium to equivalent ICE vehicles. Skoda says: “Developed as part of the Brand Group Core’s European Urban Car Family, the Epiq benefits from shared development and economies of scale, enabling Škoda to offer advanced electric technology at an attractive price point to a broad customer base.”
Skoda’s parent Volkswagen Group and its EVs have been under pressure from Chinese EVs both in China and Europe. So, it really needs to find a way to reach its EVs to more people. And if the Epiq really manages to achieve the price equivalence, that could be a game changer for VW as well as the broader market.
So, what is the Epiq all about? To begin with it is a compact SUV which is longer than the Kylaq but shorter than the Kushaq, but wider than the latter. It is based on the new-generation MEB+ electric platform with front-wheel drive, reduced weight and high operating efficiency. It is also the first Skoda production model to fully adopt the Modern Solid design language, including a new T-shaped light signature. And despite the compact exterior dimensions, it tries to pack in generous interior space, including a 475-litre boot. It comes with either a 38.5kW or 55kW battery pack and range under test tops out around 440km with the latter. The power output with the smaller battery is 114hp and 208hp with the bigger pack. The Epiq’s battery can be used to charge other devices and it is the first to offer single pedal driving.