› ŠKODA will be providing ten prototypes of the all-electric CITIGO E-PILOT built upon the basis of Volkswagen e-up! for selected customers to test in the Czech Republic › The participants’ experience from everyday use and their specific suggestions will serve as important feedback before the launch of eMobility of traditional Czech brand › Prototypes have completely different characteristics than the later all-electric CITIGO production model

Mladá Boleslav, 3 April 2019 – 2019 is a very special year in ŠKODA’s 124-year history: The traditional Czech car manufacturer is entering the era of e-mobility with the all-electric ŠKODA CITIGO and the ŠKODA SUPERB with plug-in hybrid drive. As part of a pilot project, ŠKODA is now making the CITIGO E-PILOT available to selected customers in the Czech Republic. The aim is to find out from prospective and potential customers how the vehicle based on the current technology known from Volkswagen e-up! performs in everyday operation before series production of the electric CITIGO begins.

Ahead of the launch of eMobility, ŠKODA is testing prototypes of the electric CITIGO as part of a pilot project. Selected companies, fleet customers and state authorities will be heading out on the road in ten copies of the ŠKODA CITIGO E-PILOT. Before the start of series production, the Czech car manufacturer would like to gain feedback and valuable suggestions from the testers and customers who will be putting the vehicle through its paces in everyday operation.

Sensors on all test vehicles will record important data such as the outside temperature and the temperature in the car, and acceleration of the test vehicle. All data will be automatically sent to the Technical Development department at ŠKODA and evaluated there. In this way, it will be possible to gain insights into the use of the vehicle and determine how the battery performs during everyday operation and charging.

Luboš Vlček, Managing director of ŠKODA AUTO Czech Republic says: “ŠKODA is launching electric mobility in 2019 and will have introduced ten electrified models by the end of 2022. Before ŠKODA’s e-vehicles go into series production, we are collecting feedback from our customers who will be evaluating a test fleet in our home market of the Czech Republic over the coming months. As part of the ŠKODA CITIGO E-PILOT project, we are testing numerous all-electric vehicle services so that we are fully prepared for the launch of the production vehicle by the end of the year.”

Series production of the all-electric version of the ŠKODA CITIGO will start in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Over the next four years, ŠKODA AUTO will be launching the most extensive investment programme in its history, spending around €2 billion on electrification and digitalisation. By the end of 2022, the car manufacturer will have presented over 30 new models, more than 10 of which will be partially or fully electric. From the beginning of 2020, all ŠKODA trading partners in the Czech Republic will also have charging stations at their sales and service sites, making an active contribution to significantly expanding the local charging infrastructure.