Skoda’s new high-performance electric coupe-SUV, the Enyaq Coupe iV vRS, will go on sale this week with prices starting at just under £52,000. Featuring the same 82 kWh battery pack as the existing Enyaq ‘80’ model, but offering 295 bhp, the Enyaq Coupe is the first vRS model to go fully electric.
The Czech manufacturer has already launched a plug-in hybrid Octavia vRS, but this will be the first high-performance model to go completely zero-emission. The order books for the new model will open on February 17, with prices starting at £51,885.
That money pays for the sportiest version of the Enyaq Coupe launched earlier this year, with the same cut-down rear end and swoopy roof line. But the vRS model is differentiated by its sportier bumpers and gloss black trim on the badges and bodywork. It also comes with the red rear reflector found on the Octavia vRS, 20-inch alloy wheels and a panoramic glass roof, as well as the Crystal Face illuminated front grille.
Look more closely and you’ll spot the lowered suspension, which sees the front sit 10 mm lower than standard, while the rear is a full 15 mm lower. That’s designed to improve handling, along with the ‘dynamic steering’ system that changes the responsiveness and weight of the wheel.
Speaking of the steering wheel, the vRS gets a sportier number than the standard Enyaq Coupe, with a vRS badge to remind you which car you’re in. Also serving that purpose is the model specific interior trim, which includes black perforated leather heated sports seats with grey piping and contrast stitching. There’s “leather-look” material on the dashboard, which also gets contrast stitching, while there are carbon-effect inserts and aluminium pedals.
But what really separates the vRS model is its powertrain. The 82 kWh battery is lifted from the Enyaq ‘80’ model, and that’s paired with two electric motors; one on each axle. That means there’s 295 bhp on tap, and that’s distributed between all four wheels, allowing a 0-62 mph time of 6.5 seconds and a 111 mph top speed.
Charging the battery to 80 percent takes 36 minutes, thanks to 135 kW charging, although you’ll need to find a charger capable of delivering so much power so quickly. On a ‘standard’ 7.2 kWh ‘wallbox’ home charging point, a full charge will take around 13 hours – at which point you’ll have a maximum range of 309 miles.
