This is the Skoda Epiq, a Kamiq-sized electric car with up to 272 miles of range.
The new Skoda Epiq slots in as the brand's smallest EV currently on sale, beneath the Elroq and Enyaq in a neat Russian doll-like formation.
With a Jeep-like grille, big wheels and a very upright stance, the Epiq looks more youthful than its bigger siblings.
Similar to other EV-only models like the Kia EV3, Skoda has been able to push the car's axles all the way to the edges of the body. This creates more space between the wheels, giving more interior space within the car's tiny proportions. You'll spot a body-coloured C-pillar that bears the Skoda script and meets up with the contrast black roof – a detail unique to the Epiq over Skoda's other EVs.
Skoda Epiq range, charging and performance stats
Two battery sizes are available. The '40' model comes with a 37kWh usable lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, or you can upgrade to the '55' model with its 52kWh usable nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery. The LFP chemistry keeps cost down, while the NMC battery is more energy dense so goes further on a charge.
Respectively, the maximum quoted range figures are 190 and 272 miles for the 40 and 55 models – which is exactly on a par with the likes of the Kia EV2 and MG4 Urban. Select the Epiq's B mode for a full one-pedal driving experience where you'll rarely need to use the brake pedal.
Both will charge from 10-80% in under 25 minutes, and you'll be able to choose bi-directional charging (also called Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L) as an option to let you power small electrical items from the car's high-voltage battery pack.
The Epiq 40 comes with a 135hp motor while the 55 produces 211hp.
Given that the Epiq shares its powertrains with the Volkswagen ID. Polo and Cupra Raval, we might end up seeing an Epiq vRS model featuring the same 226hp motor as the ID. Polo GTI and Raval VZ hot hatches.
Interior
At first glance, the Epiq's interior looks very similar to the Elroq and Enyaq cabins. There's a large free-standing touchscreen, a prominent bar full of physical buttons and a premium-looking two-spoke steering wheel.
But then you notice a new horizontal dash layout featuring the air vents and a clean, modestly sized driver's display. The gear shifter has moved to the steering column to free up space for a huge array of storage zones on the centre console, and the shortcut icons on the 12.9-inch touchscreen have been moved to be closer to the driver.
There's also plenty of textiles used in the cabin, in place of the soft-touch and plastic surfaces common to today's Skodas. This also extends to the seat upholstery as more manufacturers look to branch out from simple cloth and faux-leather options.
Like in Skoda's other EVs, you can choose from interior 'themes'. Loft Grey, the standard selection, includes sustainable materials and durable synthetic leather that's animal-free. Pick the Edition trim and you can also choose a Loft Mint interior featuring greenish upholstery and stitching, or the Suite pack with its brown upholstery and stitching.
Dimensions and practicality
The Epiq is just 4.1 metres long. That's the same length as a Skoda Fabia and shorter than the petrol-powered Skoda Kamiq the Epiq shares a segment with. Despite those city-friendly dimensions, Skoda claims space for five adults inside, plus a 475-litre boot. That's more cargo space than the Kia EV3 (460 litres) and actually outpaces the larger Skoda Elroq (470 litres), although these pictures suggest that a lot of that capacity lays beneath the boot floor.
Prices and specifications
Prices start from a very reasonable £24,950 for the Epiq SE L. That's actually less than Skoda charges for a petrol Kamiq.
There's no stripped out base model. SE L is a mid-range trim elsewhere in Skoda land, and the standard equipment here includes adaptive cruise control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, push-button start and LED headlights.
For £27,700, you can either upgrade your battery size or your trim level. Go for the latter and the Edition trim adds a reversing camera, wireless phone charging, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry, built-in sat nav and additional driver assistance technologies.
The big-battery Edition costs from £30,450, and it's another £1,000 on top of that to reach the First Edition trim level, which only comes with the larger battery pack. Opt for this model and you'll get Navajo Orange exterior accents, two-tone paint, 20-inch alloy wheels, an exclusive bootlid badge, orange stitching, orange seatbelts and a sporty interior treatment.
Six paint colours are available, with the solid Marble Grey being the no-cost choice. If you don't want that, you can pick the Timano Green solid colour, or white, silver or black metallic shades for extra cost. A new Jasper Red metallic is exclusive to the Epiq.
Release date
Skoda will begin taking orders for the Epiq in July. If you're an eager beaver and order right away, you're likely to be driving your new car before the end of the year.
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