New Skoda Epiq appears within a whisker of production form
The Skoda Epiq ‘show car’ fills in a lot of the blanks where this crucial budget electric SUV is concerned.
Skoda’s Epiq baby electric SUV has leapt closer to launch with a ‘show car’ that looks suspiciously production-ready. The 4.1-metre-long five-seater is Skoda’s equivalent to the Volkswagen ID. Cross: both share lower-cost LFP batteries and will originate in the same Spanish factory.
Skoda has confirmed the Epiq will cover up to 264 miles and packs a 475-litre boot, despite its small stature. There’ll be plenty of interior practicality with bag hooks, fasteners, hidden stowage and wireless charging.
The updated show car breaks new ground with a production-ready bumper and number plate housing, parking sensors, finished headlamps and big alloys. Skoda has also confirmed that the final car – launching mid-2026 – will cost the same as its Kamiq petrol SUV equivalent, making good on the brand’s promise of a £25k EV.
Skoda’s current EV entry point is the Elroq, which starts at under £32,000 but can currently be ordered from dealers on the Auto Express Buy A Car service for under £30,000, with a little help from the Electric Car Grant.
The Epic will come into Skoda’s range below the Elroq - Auto Express’s 2025 Car of the Year, and the Enyaq as Skoda’s third current all-electric model. The brand also previously sold an electric version of the Citigo small hatch, which went off sale in 2020.
“The Epiq show car offers a concrete glimpse into the next addition to Skoda’s successful all-electric family,” said Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer. “It embodies the essence of Skoda: modern solid design, a spacious interior within a compact footprint, user-friendly intuitive digital interfaces, and Simply Clever details that ensure a seamless experience – and above all – at an attractive price point. With the Epiq, we’re taking another step towards making electric cars a practical and compelling choice for everyday drivers.”
Interior and tech
While we’ve not yet been given a look inside the production car, Skoda has hinted that much of what was shown on the concept would be carried over. If this is true, we can expect a large central display with a row of shortcut buttons for things like the ADAS features and drive modes, plus a smaller digital instrument cluster directly ahead of the driver. The steering wheel should get physical switches too, in response to industry-wide negative feedback for capacitive touch-sensitive controls.
This being a Skoda, there should be plenty of storage dotted around the cabin, and neat features that align with the brand’s ‘Simply Clever’ marketing messaging. Skoda may also choose to use flashes of colour inside – just as it did on the Epiq concept – to mark this out as the smallest and most youthful of its SUV line-up.
Batteries, range and performance
As well as its MEB-Small platform, the Epiq will utilise the same choice of 38 and 56kWh batteries as the equivalent VW and Cupra models, with the larger of the two units promising up to 264 miles of range. VW claims the ID. Cross will charge from 10-80 per cent in around 20 minutes thanks to a peak charge rate of 125kW, and we expect similar numbers for the Skoda.
A variety of motors will be offered, the most powerful of which will be offered with a vRS badge on the wings. Volkswagen has confirmed a 223bhp unit for its small EV, capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in under seven seconds. More sedate models will make up the majority of the range, however; 150-180bhp seems sensible for a car of this type, and should allow for a decent balance of performance and efficiency.
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