•Holistic: the car manufacturer groups mobility solutions and electrified vehicles together under the umbrella of the new ŠKODAiV sub-brand

•Connected: ŠKODA AUTO to offer an intelligent ecosystem of Simply Clever E-Mobility

•Comprehensive: ŠKODA AUTO will be investing two billion euros over the next five years – the largest investment programme in the company's history

Mladá Boleslav / Bratislava, 23 May 2019 – ŠKODA is writing a new chapter in its 124-year history: the Czech car manufacturer is entering the era of electromobility by launching its new iV sub-brand. ŠKODA iV covers both the development of the brand's own family of electrified products as well as a special ecosystem for mobility solutions. As part of the company's 2025 Strategy, ŠKODA AUTO will be investing a total of two billion euros in the development of electric vehicles and new mobility services over the next five years. This is the company's largest investment programme to date.

As part of a double world premiere, ŠKODA is presenting two new products in Bratislava today. The all-electric ŠKODA CITIGOe iV and the ŠKODA SUPERB iV plug-in hybrid are making E-Mobility Simply Clever – offering quick charging, long ranges and affordable prices.

In addition to the creation of an electrified model range, by establishing the new iV sub-brand the manufacturer is also pressing ahead with the development of a holistic and connected E-Mobility ecosystem. Amongst other things, this includes affordable wall boxes with different power outputs, which will allow customers to conveniently recharge their vehicles at home, and mobile online services offered via ŠKODA Connect that allow customers to benefit from services such as an intelligent charging station finder. In the future, this service will offer the option of reserving the customer's chosen charging station in advance. Another highlight is the ŠKODA e-charge card. This single-card system allows customers to easily pay to charge their vehicle all over Europe – regardless of the country they are in or the provider they are using. Drivers of an electrified ŠKODA can therefore enjoy maximum flexibility at any time, anywhere.

Innovative, intelligent and inspiring

The 'i' in the name of the new sub-brand symbolises several of the excellent characteristics that make all ŠKODA iV models stand out: They are 'innovative' and 'intelligent'. With the launch of the iV sub-brand, ŠKODA is entering the era of E-Mobility by offering a combination of tailor-made mobility solutions that cater specifically to the needs of customers and a fully connected ecosystem. ŠKODA iVs are also 'iconic' and 'inspiring'. The new e-models captivate with their emotive design that is full of character. Moreover, every ŠKODA iV is also 'individual' as there are numerous trim-level and customisation options. Furthermore, all ŠKODA iVs distinguish themselves with their 'intuitive' operation and thereby make it even easier and more comfortable to drive a car. The 'V' in ŠKODA iV stands for vehicle.

Electromobility is a central pillar of ŠKODA's 2025 Strategy

ŠKODA has defined the guidelines for the company's future development in its 2025 Strategy. The continuous evolution of the company from a car manufacturer into a Simply Clever company for the best mobility solutions lies at the heart of this programme. Thus, both digitalisation and the brand's entry into the era of electromobility are key activity areas in the 2025 Strategy. In addition to the successful petrol, diesel and CNG engines, the brand is to continually increase the proportion of electrified drive systems at ŠKODA. The company is estimating that electrified vehicles will make up around 25 per cent of total sales by 2025.

ŠKODA is preparing itself for this comprehensive change with the largest investment programme in its history. Over the next five years, the company will be investing around two billion euros in alternative drive systems and new mobility services such as car-sharing platforms. By the end of 2022, ŠKODA will have introduced more than ten electrified models, thus establishing the ŠKODA iV family. Following in the footsteps of the ŠKODA CITIGOe iV and the ŠKODA SUPERB iV, the first two all-electric vehicles based on Volkswagen Group's MEB modular electric car platform will be introduced in 2020, one of which will be a production version of the VISION iV SUV coupé study.

ŠKODA to produce its iV models and electric components for other Group brands in the Czech Republic

As of this year, the company will be manufacturing the ŠKODA SUPERB iV at its state-of-the-art and recently expanded Kvasiny plant. The all-electric models will be produced at the Mladá Boleslav site. In addition to electric cars, the company's main plant in Mladá Boleslav will also manufacture electric components for plug-in hybrid models from several other Volkswagen Group brands from this year onwards. ŠKODA is comprehensively preparing its staff for the demands of electromobility. The company has already trained more than 11,000 employees in electric car production. In doing so, ŠKODA is safeguarding jobs for the long term through an extensive training and qualification programme.

ŠKODA to reduce CO2 emissions

As part of Volkswagen Group, ŠKODA AUTO unequivocally is committed to the Parisian climate targets and advocates limiting the global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees. ŠKODA's entry into the era of E-Mobility thus marks a key pillar of its 'GreenFuture' sustainability strategy.

The car manufacturer recognises its social responsibility and sets concrete environmental targets for its products and production of vehicles. One example is the 30% reduction in the ŠKODA fleet's CO2 emissions between 2015 and 2025. The transformation from combustion engines to electric cars is an essential lever for this. By the end of 2022, ŠKODA will already have added more than ten partially or fully electrified cars to its portfolio. Another aim is for the company to convert production at Czech factories to only use CO2-neutral electric energy by the second half of the next century. In the course of the electrification of ŠKODA's model range, the recycling and sensible reuse of traction batteries will be another ecological and economic task.

ŠKODA is taking a stance in support of environmentally friendly mobility, even beyond vehicle production. By 2025, the company will invest approximately 32 million euros in the development of an internal charging infrastructure featuring almost 7,000 charging points in and around its three Czech plants in Mladá Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabí.

Photo credit: Skoda
posted on conceptcarz.com

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