Skoda plans EV onslaught to revitalise its Aussie fortunes: Elroq, overhauled Enyaq and compact Epiq will lead the charge!

Skoda is looking to reverse its Aussie fortunes and it’s going to use an almighty electric surge to achieve it.

The new mid-size Elroq SUV lands in the second half of 2025, and will likely be the Czech brand’s strongest seller.

An extensively facelifted Enyaq arrives at the same time in coupe-back and conventional SUV form, replacing the current model which only launched last November in coupe-only guise.

READ MORE: Czech it out: 2025 Skoda Enyaq set for major facelift just months after Aussie debut as it smartens up its act against the inbound upgraded Tesla Model Y
READ MORE: It’s not from China! New mid-size Skoda Elroq SUV is primed to be Czech brand’s best-selling EV when it lands in Australia next year
READ MORE: Skoda Epiq electric SUV won’t be a $40,000 China fighter in Australia … but it will be well equipped

By the end of 2026, the Epiq electric compact SUV should launch here, while the large Vision 7S  is in the brands planning but yet to confirmed.

Throw in potential plug-in hybrid versions of Skoda’s Kodiaq large SUV and new generation Superb large car – also under evaluation but not locked in – and the brand’s set to be far more electrified in the next 12-18 months.

Skoda Australia needs a sales and brand awareness boost, something new director Lucie Kuhn acknowledged in an interview with EV Central.

“Last year was not the plan for the brand, and we achieved a number of (sales) volumes we were not very happy with,” she said.

“It’s my role to strengthen and re-boost the position of the brand in Australia again.”

In 2024 Skoda’s sales fell a dramatic 37 per cent, not helped by supply issues and Skoda dropping some of its entry-level, popular picks.

Considering Skoda’s European success, Australia’s general eschewing is perplexing.

It’s the only Euro marque sold here with a seven-year warranty, and the Enyaq EV is a talented offering, albeit not a cheap one starting at $69,990 for the entry-level Sportline RWD.

Skoda is massive in Europe. The Enyaq was second-best selling EV in Germany in 2024, ahead of the VW ID.4/ID.5 and ID.3 and only behind the Tesla Model Y.

it was Europe’s fourth biggest brand last year, ahead of Ford, Kia, Hyundai and Mercedes, and behind only Toyota, Volkswagen and BMW.

Are EVs able to help boost Skoda’s Australian market share?

“I think the (Australian) customers still don’t feel confident enough to rely purely on an electric vehicle,” said Ms Kuhn. “I think it’s something that takes time.

“But I think with the new (New Vehicle Emissions Standard CO2 reduction) regulation, it really starts to be relevant, because the electric mobility will be promoted by the government and also by the car manufacturers themselves, because they just need to simply achieve the certain emission score to avoid the penalties.”

There’s volume potential with the compact Epiq EV, but could Skoda Australia offer it at around $40,000, to be competitive against myriad Chinese offerings?

“It’s too early to talk about exact pricing,” Ms Kuhn stated. “I think the Chinese brands are kind of a phenomenon in Australia we don’t see on such a big scale in Europe.

However, Ms Kuhn acknowledged that cheaper, less highly specified Skodas were part of the brand’s Australian plan going forward, where “we revised strategy and started to open some lower divisions in some models.”

With the Epiq compact EV in basic trim having a European target price of €25,000 (approximately $40,000), the door’s potentially open for a pared-back version for Australia to offer a robust challenge to Chinese EVs.

But Ms Kuhn made it clear that Skoda also expected to compete on grounds other than price with the Chinese brands.

“We have our qualities; our DNA of the Skoda brand, which is not only European engineering, but all cars are technically tested to the highest European standards.”

“It’s also valuable that every piece of the car has 100 per cent proof of origin,” she said. “So where the part comes from, who produced that part, what is the CO2 footprint of that part?

“So basically we can declare, not only on a headquarter level, but also within our supply chain, who is working on the car, if it’s a fair rate paid.

“In other words, we are applying a so-called social responsibility across all the supply chain.”