Skoda Says It Will Launch vRS Variant Of Upcoming Electric SUV

Skoda has confirmed that it will launch a punchy vRS variant of its future electric SUV.

Speaking to Autocar, company sales and marketing chief Alain Favey said that the vehicle won’t necessarily be all about performance.

“There will be a vRS version of our future electric car. It will be more about styling and experience, and not necessarily performance,” he said.

This variant will probably hit the market in 2022, three years after the production version of the Vision E concept hits the market. This vehicle is tipped to launch in 2019 and will be Skoda’s very first all-electric model. The company believes it will act as a serious alternative to the $35,000 Tesla Model 3, despite being a crossover.

In concept guise, the vehicle has two electric motors delivering a combined 301 hp and offering 310 km (192 miles) of range on a single charge. The Skoda EV will be about more than figures, however.

According to Favey, it will be fun to drive and extremely affordable. If Skoda’s designers get their way, it will also look extremely appealing.

The concept unveiled at last year’s Shanghai Motor Show turned heads for all the right reasons. The front, for example, includes triangular-shaped headlights which are connected by a solid LED light passing just below the hood line.

Obviously, the vRS performance version will come at a premium over the standard model. However, if Skoda does manage to achieve pricing similar to the Tesla Model 3, it shouldn’t be too much more expensive than more traditional ICE alternatives.