Skoda unleashes the Enyaq RS iV electric performance SUV

Skoda has unveiled the Enyaq RS iV, a high performance version of the brand's first ever fully-electric model, the Enyaq iV SUV.

The car will go on sale across Europe in 2023, but as of yet there are no indications of the model's availability for Singapore. The car is actually Skoda's second electric RS model, and follows on from the swoopy Enyaq Coupe RS iV that was announced earlier this year.

Like the Coupe, the Enyaq RS iV features a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup, with an electric motor at each axle, and they combine to produce a total of 295hp and 460Nm of torque, allowing it to go from 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds.

The high-performance variant of the Enyaq iV gets a high-voltage 82kWh battery, which Skoda claims gives the car a range of over 500km.

It also has a maximum charging power of 135kW, which means it can gain 10 to 80 per cent of charge in just slightly over 30 minutes.

New on the Enyaq RS iV is the Plug & Charge function, which streamlines the charging process via Skoda's Powerpass app.

At a suitable and compatible charging point, customers can simply plug in the charging cable, and the charging point will identify the vehicle and begin the charging process and billing automatically.

Like all Skoda RS models, the Enyaq RS iV has been given a sporty makeover, and RS-specific design elements on the car include large 20-inch wheels, with 21-inch alloy rims available as an option.

It also gets a sports suspension setup that drops the car by 15mm over the regular Enyaq iV SUV, while other RS specific trimmings include the gloss black grille, door mirrors and rear diffuser, the sporty front apron and side skirts, and the lower rear reflector that runs across the width of the bumper.

There are also RS badges sprinkled liberally all over the car, while the Enyaq RS iV will also be offered in the RS-specific shade of Mamba Green.

Finally, the car comes with Skoda's Crystal Face, which consists of 131 LEDs embedded into the grille, and is complemented by Matrix LED headlights as standard.

The interior also gets some sporty RS touches, including carbon-fibre look trim on the dashboard and door panels, as well as aluminium pedals.

The standard Suede microfibre sports seats also feature the RS logo embroidered in the headrest, while there is also a unique leather-wrapped sports steering wheel that's exclusive to the RS model.

The Enyaq iV is Skoda's first fully-electric vehicle, and it sits on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform that also underpins similar-sized electric SUVs from the Volkswagen Group, including the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 E-tron.

The car has been a major sales success in Europe since its launch in 2021, and Skoda says that it will roll out the 100,000th unit from its production line "very soon".

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This article was first published in CarBuyer.