Skoda India first EV launch by September 

Although it has been greatly delayed, Skoda India’s brand director, Petr Janeba, stated, “Our first electric SUV is coming by September minimum,” in an interview with our sister publication, Autocar Professional. The Enyaq iV was initially scheduled to launch in 2024 and would have been the company’s first electric offering in India.

Skoda’s first EV in India

Interestingly, Janeba did not clarify if the Enyaq iV, which has been planned for India since 2023, will indeed be the country’s first electric vehicle. The Enyaq has been spotted testing on our roads multiple times and has made a few appearances at the Bharat Mobility Show. However, among other things, the Enyaq received a mid-lifecycle update worldwide while the company was assessing its EV plan for India.

“The Elroq, which is likewise built on the MEB platform, is currently available. As a result, the Elroq, Enyaq, and Enyaq Coupe share a common platform. Once the government’s EV policy is finalized by March 2025, we will make the final decision regarding which of these three will travel to India,” Janeba said.

The EV policy announced in March last year had proposed a significantly lower customs duty of 15 percent on the import of a certain number of units of electric vehicles (whose cost, insurance and freight value is USD 35,000 or above), provided the carmaker invests at least Rs 4,150 crore and set up an EV manufacturing unit here. Otherwise, the import tariff on such autos is 70-100 percent. The businesses must also achieve a specific degree of localization in accordance with this policy.

After consulting with stakeholders, the central government is anticipated to complete the draft rules for the updated EV policy by March 2025.

Skoda’s Elroq, which measures 4.49 meters, is slightly smaller than the Enyaq, which measures 4.65 meters. Both models were showcased at this year’s Auto Expo. Skoda is currently assessing the EV policy and will import the Elroq and Enyaq as full imports. However, the carmaker is developing a localized, India-specific EV platform with Volkswagen for future products.

Skoda Kodiaq

In the meantime, Skoda India plans to launch the second-generation Kodiaq in India in the second quarter of 2025. “We will begin production of the second-gen Kodiaq by the end of February,” Janeba told me. The new Kodiaq will be delivered completely knocked down (CKD) and built locally. The older-generation Kodiaq in its equipped L&K model costs Rs 40.99 lakh (ex-showroom), therefore the new-generation SUV is expected to cost slightly more.