Detailed review of the Škoda Elroq: electric car, gadget or accessory?

The Czechs have reconsidered their approach to owning an electric car, trying to fix its main drawbacks. The Elroq is designed to be as user-friendly as possible in terms of operation and price: at equivalent prices, the battery-powered Karoq alternative is more spacious, comfortable, better equipped, and looks pricier.

«The first of the main reasons — I’m not interested in electric cars, which the government is lobbying for, — Jeremy Clarkson likes to explain why Top Gear was canceled, — They are just like household appliances, like washing machines and microwaves. You can’t review them, you can’t enjoy them». I think Clarkson’s prophet is about as good as Greta Thunberg’s, and electric cars can be both interesting and close to gadgets.

Well, indeed, when Skoda invited me to the Elroq presentation, they asked me to do a gadget review. But there’s no more gadgetry in the Skoda Elroq than there is electric mobility in a plug-in hybrid. But perhaps this is the key to the hearts of motorists that will make them open the door to the world of battery cars. If not honoring the environment, then out of love for the brand.

The Czechs have been stirring up interest in Elroq for as long as ever: intentional and not-so-intentional sketch leaks, announcements, teasers, spy, and camouflage photos. Sometimes even presidential campaigns are held without these multi-steps.

If I had visited Clarkson last April «Shkodo» Annual press conference, where the Czechs presented their near future, I might not have been so categorical. Because the general transition to electric trains is clearly postponed, if not canceled. From the outside, it seemed that everything was as usual: everyone should be blinded by the projections and frozen by the scale. There was a clearly planned timeline with a plan for expansion into new markets and new segments, a date for entering the European Top 5, and the timing of the debut of new products and rebuilds of existing models. However, the main announcement, the date of the complete phase-out of internal combustion engines, was never made. Moreover, it is the Czechs who are entrusted with the further development of the EA211 gasoline engine range, which is key for the entire Volkswagen Group.

The presentation focused on increasing the charging speed, which should take the customer experience to a new level. Elroq can be recharged both from AC Wallbox stations (11 kW) and from high-speed terminals. The younger versions can digest 145 kW-165 kW, and the older ones can digest up to 175 kW. That is, in an ideal world, it would take 25-28 minutes to charge a battery from 10 to 80%. But this is according to the press release.

These are the thoughts that go through my head while walking on the deck of a ship sailing on the black waters of the majestic Vltava River. But I cannot admire Golden Prague in the sunset rays. After all, in the middle of the deck, under a silk cloak, stands the hero of the evening, motionless as a monument and anonymous as Banksy. It is clear that even the countdown of a traffic light is more intriguing than the thrice merged appearance of «elven».

A very salesy market

It’s all about the size of the bet that is being placed on Elroq. It is supposed to become a popular, mass-market, people’s electric vehicle. Unfortunately, the Enyaq — the brand’s first BEV, which appeared back in 2020, never became that. The novelty is aimed at the most competitive cross-compact class in Europe, where the battery-free Karoq is currently competing.

Judging by the numbers, the Elroq is only slightly larger, but in person it looks and feels bigger. Especially in the cabin. Thanks to a 12.7 cm longer base, sitting in front, and especially in the back, is noticeably more spacious. And more comfortable, thanks to ventilation deflectors and a separate climate zone. There is also a removable organizer, as in other Skoda models, Type-C outputs for charging gadgets, and pockets for small items.

Size comparison table

Model	Škoda Elroq	Škoda Karoq	Škoda Enyaq	Volvo EX30	Smart One	Nissan Ariya	VW ID.4	Renault Mégane E-Tech
Base, mm	2765	2638	2765	2650	2750	2775	2765	2685
Length, mm	4488	4390	4648	4234	4270	4559	4582	4199
Width, mm	1884	1841	1877	1836	1822	1850	1852	1768
Height, mm	1625	1603	1618	1550	1636	1660	1616	1505
Ground clearance, mm	186
Trunk, l	470			318	323

But this next «synthetic» name is confusing. It’s high time the Czechs introduced an alphanumeric system like the Germans. Otherwise, in a few more years, not only all» will be confused about «s, but even the sellers themselves will be confused about». Is it a joke that when the communist «Skoda» in 1990 «was overwhelmed by the» imperialist VW, it did not have a model line as such. The only dowry was a small-liter Favorit and multimillion-dollar debts. Today, the brand’s product range is bursting at the seams with —15 items for all occasions and the thickness of a credit card. And it will grow with every new year.

So it’s easier to get confused in all these «kamikas», «karokas», «epics», «kodiaks», «enyaks» and other «kashaks» with «fists» than in Monatic’s choruses. Perhaps only Laura herself, a voice assistant trained to catch your every word and follow any instructions, can handle it. Yes, short commands will remain the domain of Chinese junk — in Elroq, the assistant easily recognizes normal speech and helps with navigation, multimedia, air conditioning, text messages, etc. And it can use online voice control services and even ChatGPT. So much for the reference to gadgetry.

The Skoda Connect app includes a set of online services divided into thematic packages. They can be used to expand the capabilities of the infotainment system, plan a route, simplify preventive and maintenance, remotely access the electric car and manage charging.

«Shadows of forgotten ancestors»

This is what the Czechs is never ashamed of — design. It’s all about the special language of plastic, both minimalistic and expressive, which makes the «Škadovka» (as the brand’s models are called in the Czech Republic, ed.) easy to identify even in dense traffic. Now it will be even easier to recognize them: large chrome letters have taken the place of the logo on the hood. This is part of the brand’s new visual identity.

Exclusively for Elroq, a condensed contact color — thyme green Timiano Green. A total of nine colors will be available.

Its main design accents are — glossy black «face» Tech-Deck Face with two-story matrix optics, full-face monobrow daytime running lights, and the same letters. The font, surprisingly, is also new. The global facelift «face» is designed to refresh the brand’s image. 3. The — emblem has been canceled. Now, instead of the «arrow with wings», there will be square letters. Of course, we feel sorry for the Indian. Why? Remember: first, he was taken from Arizona to Bohemia, then turned into a trademark, and now he has been removed from the body.

The segregation is due to the new visual style of Modern Solid, which, starting with the Elroq, will become the «business card» of all subsequent «Skoda». What’s more, even the wheel has been reinvented — aerodynamicists have optimized the pattern of the wheels, and they are of a decent (19-21 inches) diameter in the Elroq, and therefore have a noticeable effect on the streamlining. All in all, this allowed us to achieve a good airflow resistance coefficient (Cd=0.26), which is quite good for a C-class parquetry vehicle.

The main thing is inside

As fresh as Elroq is on the outside, it’s familiar on the inside. In fact, the Czech interior designers have done a global job, managing to «marry» the traditional layout and analog buttons and switches with sharply fashionable gadgets like the instrument screen, transmission control joystick, and 13-inch touchscreen media system. The interface of the latter is familiar to us from Enyaq, but after the upgrade it has become more user-friendly. It’s more responsive, agile, and intuitive. It already supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto as standard and can be controlled not only tactilely, but also by gestures and voice.

It would seem that the main appeal of marketers — the buyer of the basic version should suffer. But not in our case. From the start, the Elroq has a 13-inch screen infotainment center with SmartLink support, climate control, a rearview camera, and many electronic assistants such as passenger protection and blind spot monitoring systems. It also has a smartphone function control system.

Among the mandatory options, I would like to mention the projection display with augmented reality technology. Everything is so thoughtfully and realistically implemented that you catch yourself thinking that this is enough for driving, you can’t be distracted by the windshield, especially since it’s quite minimalistic.

By definition, the interior of an electric car should be not only futuristic but also environmentally friendly. For five years now, the Czechs have been working closely on new biomaterials for interior decoration, such as sugar beet cake. They also widely use innovative recycled materials. In addition, it has four levels of interior compartments at once: Studio, Loft, Lounge, and Suite. In the basic version of the interior, Recytitan’s eco-leather (dashboard, armrests, door cards, seat upholstery) is 78% recycled PET bottles and recycled clothing.

For example, the interior of the Lodge (Elroq has four interior trim options) is based on Technofil, a material made up of Econyl fibers, a product of recycling nylon waste such as fishing nets and carpets. Moreover, the old-new nylon is 100% renewable, which makes it possible to recycle and re-form it repeatedly to create a new fabric.

All in accordance with a very strict program to ensure sustainable development and strengthen environmental goals. The Czechs aim to cut emissions from their vehicle fleet in half compared to five years ago. The oldest plant in Vrchlab, which is more than 160 years old, has already become CO2-neutral.

In the cabin — Technofil/Econyl, in the trunk — Simply Clever. Rear passengers can sit freely, but your luggage will be even more spacious. The volume of the trunk is the envy of the competition — 470/1580 liters with the rear seats folded down/folded. Which are transformed in a 2:3 ratio. For comparison, the closest competitors Volvo EX30 and smart #1 have 318 and 323 liters, respectively. However, the front trunk size is — 0 liters both vertically and horizontally.

Another 48 liters of treasure can be stowed away in the cabin in numerous compartments. The depth of the armrest is fantastic, and a standard Uzi can fit in there with three clips to spare. And, of course, there’s a whole scattering of practical accessories from the Simply Clever line: shelves, niches, hooks, a two-level floor, etc. I hasten to reassure the style advocates — there are umbrellas and a scraper. In addition, it serves as a tire wear sensor and is also made of recycled materials. So is the fishing net for the charging cable, which is attached… to the back of the luggage rack.

Leave the extension cord at home

In terms of design, everything is quite predictable. The novelty is based on the all-VW modular MEB platform. That is, McPherson struts and disc brakes in the front, multi-linkage and «drums» — in the rear. Of course, the electric motor is located on the rear axle. The — is more interesting.

A quartet of versions is available for the new product, allowing the buyer to choose an electric vehicle for their goals and objectives. As standard, the Elroq 50 has an electric motor that produces 170 hp and 310 Nm. The lithium-ion traction battery (55 kWh) will last for 375 km on the WLTP cycle. The top speed of the 1874 kg parquetry is limited to 160 km/h, and it accelerates to «hundred» in 9 seconds.

The Sportline package includes not only external attributes, but also features that affect handling, such as a progressive «cut» steering rack, «reinforced» suspension lowered by 15 mm in front and 10 mm in the rear. In addition, the top version is distinguished by matrix headlights, animated turn signals, a larger spoiler and the nowadays mandatory blackbadge decor with blackout.

The Elroq 60 is a little more fun: the power has been raised to 204 hp, and the battery capacity has been increased to 63 kWh, which should be enough for more than 400 km. The top-of-the-line Elroq 85 will offer 560 km on a single charge, thanks to an 82 kWh battery. Here, the acceleration dynamics of 6.6 seconds will delight drive enthusiasts. And only in the top-end 85x version, thanks to an additional electric motor on the front axle, the Elroq becomes not only mighty, but also all-wheel drive.

Technical characteristics of Skoda Elroq

Modification	Elroq 50	Elroq 60	Elroq 85	Elroq 85x
Power, hp.	170	204	286	295
Torque, Nm	310	310	545	545
Battery capacity kWh	55	63	82	82
Weight, kg	1954	2000	2158	2250
Cruising range, km (WLTP)	375	400	560	560
Maximum speed	160	160	180	180
Acceleration 0-100 km/h, sec	9	8,5	6,6	6,5
Max. charging power, kW	145	165	175	175
Charging time 10-80%, min	25	25	28	28

At the heart of it is, of course, a lithium-ion battery, which consists of modules. While the initial version had eight of them, the next 60 has nine modules, and the powerful 85 and 85x versions have already received twelve modules. Cooling or heating is provided by a fluid that circulates through the system, and a separate compressor controls the temperature regime — everything is identical to the Enyaq model.

The price of the issue

Even in the Czech Republic, where production of «Elroks» is being set up, they will go on sale no earlier than the end of January. For the basic Elroq 50, the Czechs ask for 799 thousand CZK (€31.6 thousand), but in neighboring Germany it is already €33.9 thousand. The Ukrainian price tag will traditionally be somewhere in the middle and will definitely find its consumers. For now, we can only hope for its official sales here and push marketers «Eurocar».

Leaving the country of «Skoda», I noticed the European roads, which did not indulge in a scattering of electric trains, but rather surprised me with many representatives of the «old guard». You look at the same VW: it seems to be the latest generation model and in the top version, but when you look closely, you realize that it comes from the time when the Model S was still a press release. The Stores were jammed with lines for iPhone. 3G. So maybe Clarkson is not so wrong after all.