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Skoda Australia is gearing as much as convey its first plug-in hybrid automobiles (PHEVs) to native showrooms, and it insists they received’t come on the expense of its present combustion-powered fashions or its upcoming mild-hybrids.
The primary two Skoda fashions to change into out there with PHEV energy in Australia would be the Kodiaq massive SUV, which arrives in December 2025, and the massive Excellent wagon, which is able to go on sale right here within the first quarter of 2026, adopted by the Excellent sedan PHEV.
They’ll mark a vital subsequent step within the Czech model’s native electrification technique, which began with the Enyaq and Elroq electrical SUVs, because it makes an attempt to fulfill more and more stringent fleet-wide CO2 emissions limits imposed on auto manufacturers by the federal authorities from this yr as a part of the New Car Effectivity Customary (NVES).
“Clearly, there’s a new regulation efficient from July 1, so in fact the electrical car gross sales have change into part of our day by day life and enterprise,” Skoda Australia director Lucie Kuhn informed CarExpert on the native launch for the facelifted Enyaq.
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“Then again, what makes the Skoda model actually world is the wide selection of automobiles, so not solely the electrics but additionally the hybrids, and in addition the, let’s say, environment friendly combustion engines.
“So our precise purpose and intention is to be sure that we cowl all of the segments by way of dimension of the mannequin, but additionally expertise of the mannequin.”
The up to date Kodiaq arrived in Australia earlier this yr, solely with petrol energy, priced at both $56,990 or $61,990 drive-away, relying on the variant. The warmer RS flagship is because of be detailed imminently, forward of the arrival of the primary Kodiaq PHEVs earlier than the top of the yr.
“Pricing remains to be being negotiated for the plug-in hybrids, however the actuality is you do have to pay for such drivetrains,” Skoda Australia head of selling and product Kieran Merrigan informed CarExpert.
“I used to be quoted to place a 20kWh battery in my dwelling for $22,000; we’re placing a 25kWh battery in a pleasant automobile. So there may be an expense there, and naturally we would like and want it to be aggressive, nevertheless it’ll be dictated by the market.”
Skoda Australia confirmed the RS will stay its flagship Kodiaq, and the outgoing model was priced at $76,890 drive-away. By extension, this means the Kodiaq PHEV shall be way more inexpensive than the extra luxurious Volkswagen Touareg R PHEV, which is priced at $133,490 earlier than on-road prices.
Whereas Ms Kuhn nonetheless expects petrol-powered Kodiaqs to stay the most well-liked variants, the model is assured a PHEV powertrain could have a optimistic impression on demand for the massive SUV.
“We reasonably understand it as a further quantity, gross sales alternative, and a further provide for our prospects which can be at the moment contemplating perhaps going within the path of electrics however perhaps not [ready] – for now – to make a full change to electrical,” she informed CarExpert.
As for Skoda’s different hybridised fashions, the Excellent PHEV shall be out there in each liftback and wagon physique types. The wagon is because of arrive first, and Ms Kuhn believes that “volume-wise, the wagon shall be extra related”.
A gentle-hybrid model of the Kodiaq can also be as a result of arrive within the second quarter of 2026, as is a mild-hybrid Octavia. The Czech model will debut its 48-volt mild-hybrid tech regionally within the latter, which is obtainable with a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain abroad.
That is out there in both 85kW/220Nm or 110kW/250Nm tunes in different markets. Equally, the Kodiaq will get the 110kW mild-hybrid powertrain abroad, which additionally options the Volkswagen Group’s fuel-saving cylinder deactivation expertise.
Skoda Australia’s EV vary, in the meantime, will broaden additional within the second quarter of 2026 with the arrival of hotter Elroq RS and Enyaq RS fashions.
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