Skoda’s electrified future

New brand logo and design language mark Skoda’s biggest change in 30 years. Electrification of the portfolio in India also in focus

‘MODERN SOLID’ AMPLIFIES RUGGEDNESS WHILE HIGHLIGHTING

THE ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN

WE’RE UNVEILING OUR NEW BRAND identity,” says Klaus Zellmer, Skoda Auto’s new global CEO while taking the wraps off the Vision 7S concept. “We’re giving a specific preview of an entirely new Skoda model that will round off the top end of our product portfolio and customer base.”

The Skoda Vision 7S concept is doubly significant in that it showcases Skoda’s new design language as well as the new brand logo, claimed to be the biggest changes the company has seen in 30 years. What will immediately strike you is that the historic emblem is gone from its traditional place on the nose; in its place comes the new Skoda wordmark. Of course Skoda aren’t the first brand to have just the name on the nose, Land Rover and Range Rover have had it across their clamshell bonnets for decades, but this is the first time we’ve seen the name squeezed into such a tight space and that will take some time getting used to. There won’t be an emblem anywhere on the car, not even on the steering wheel, and will only be retained for communication and digital purposes. As is the norm these days the emblem moves from 3D design to a flatter 2D effect and features two different shades of green, Emerald and Electric, that is claimed to represent ecology, sustainability and electromobility.

The wordmark abandons the caron accent that sits above the ‘S’ and stylises it within the new ‘S’. Skoda say they wanted to retain the accent that signifies their Czech roots while removing the confusion that they believed it created among global customers. The wordonly version will hit the roads from the second half of 2023 starting with the new Superb and Kodiaq, followed by the refreshed Octavia in 2024 which will be the last ICE Skoda.

The Vision 7S concept previews the rangetopping, full-size, 7-seater, full-electric SUV slated for launch in 2026. Dubbed ‘Modern Solid’ the new design language amplifies the ruggedness while highlighting the electric powertrain, a dramatic departure from the current Skoda language. Up front the butterfly grille is replaced by a narrow solid plastic element that houses the myriad sensors for all the driving assistance systems. The so-called ‘Tech Deck’ face is flanked by slim LED DRLs