Skoda Octavia Green E Line: e-mobility under everyday conditions

Skoda is engaged in intensive tests of its electric vehicle fleet based on ten Skoda Octavia Green E Line introduced recently. The current phase is all about new findings in operations under everyday conditions. Skoda has begun operating one of the
Green E Line cars at Prague airport.

Everyday operating data will be especially important for fine-tuning the electric cars. These are to be delivered to selected partners in late March 2012 as a next step.

“We are currently putting our fleet through its paces, because what we will want to be handing over to drivers is perfectly tuned cars. And we are not treating test cars any differently than we would series production ones,” says Petr Kristl, Head of electromobility/electric traction development at Skoda Auto.

“Before we deliver the cars to our partners a few weeks from now, we want to make sure that everyday operation of our Octavia Green E Lines is a breeze. One of the challenges, for instance, is commuting to work regularly or non-uniform urban driving,” he adds.

The ten Octavia Green E Lines making up the test fleet are to provide Skoda with important customer-relevant insight regarding future development of electric traction all the way to series production readiness. This might involve solutions for usage or designing new functions, positioning the charging socket or the issue of how electric cars, being quiet by design, might make themselves heard in traffic.

Testing involves three phases: the first and the second, which is currently ongoing, mainly comprises internal testing at Skoda Auto such as trials of the online diagnosis communications system or supporting customer operation, which is a complex matter. In the third phase, set to begin in late March 2012, e-vehicles will be made available to external partners such as utilities, educational institutions or government agencies.

Green E Line electric cars are based on the Skoda Octavia Combi, which is ideally suited to be fitted with the batteries, electronic controllers and the electric motor thanks to its modular design. ‘Green E Liner’ engines put out a maximum power of 85 kW with the benefit of their maximum torque of 270 Nm being available immediately, that is to say from standstill. Accelerating an Octavia Green E Line from 0 to 100 kph, will take only 12 seconds, the speed in these electric cars is 135 kph. A range of 150 kilometers means Skoda’s test fleet can meet the needs of most European commuters.

Skoda’s activities in electric mobility are an important element of this Czech carmakers’ drive and fuel strategy. Mid-term, Skoda expects cars to run on a mix of different traction options. This also includes ongoing optimisation of high-efficiency TDI and TSI engines and their transmissions.

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