Skoda has been testing its all-electric car, based on the popular Octavia model, with 10 models undergoing endurance testing. Now Prague Airport has one of these cars undergoing practical testing to see how it works in a real-life scenario. The test fleet has a range of around 94 miles, which Skoda feels will meet the needs of most European commuters.

After some fine-tuning as a result of these first tests, the next stage will be to deliver the car to external partners at the end of March. The external testing partners will include utilities, universities and government agencies.

One of the challenges the Skoda engineers are looking to solve is to ensure these cars are suitable for the daily commute and stop-start urban driving. Other issues Skoda is keen to solve before mass production include how to ensure pedestrians can hear the cars, especially in the city and the best place to position the charging socket. Online diagnosis communications systems are also being tested.

It is hoped that these cars will form the basis of production electric cars in the near future for Skoda. The cars involved in the testing have a maximum output of 85kW with maximum torque of 199lb-ft from a standing start. As well as developing user-friendly electric cars, Skoda is also looking to optimise high efficiency TDI (diesel) and TSI (petrol) engines and their transmissions.

www.skoda.co.uk

By Georgia Lewis

Follow us @TotallyMotor