Skoda Vision 7S SUV reveals new design language, logo and electric focus

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Skoda has ramped up and sped up its electrification push, previewing an entirely new EV with the striking Vision 7S SUV concept.

The full electric seven-seater is larger than the Czech brand’s current Kodiaq large SUV, is based on VW Group’s Modular Electrification Kit (MEB) platform and has an 89kWh battery promising a range of over 600km on the WLTP cycle, with a peak charging rate of 200kW.

It’s also a boxy, imposing, sleek and rather gorgeous looking thing, and provides a first view of the brand’s new design language set to roll-out on all Skoda’s electric offerings. 

The announcement promised three all-new Skoda EVs would arrive as early as 2026, with more to follow. The Vision 7S previews a production seven seat EV, while it will be joined by a Fabia-sized electric small car and Kamiq-sized electric compact SUV.

Earlier this year Skoda announced its Enyaq medium SUV would be the brand’s first EV to come to Australia. It’s due in the second half of 2023 in both wagon and coupe variants.

What are the headlines on the seven-seat EV?

As you’d expect from Skoda, the Vision 7S concept has some cool and smart features. There are suicide doors and camera exterior mirrors for starters, and once inside you’re presented with a configurable cabin, rotating central display and a floor created using recycled tyres. It looks (but hopefully doesn’t smell) like the safety matting at a child’s playground.

The body’s the first Skoda to be painted in a matt colour, while the brand’s new Tech-Deck Face is introduced. This is a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Skoda grille, with the ribs replaced by dark glass concealing the car’s sensors.

There’s an ambient light strip and illuminated graphics under the new Skoda badge (letters replace a logo) on the bonnet, while two-row narrow headlights are joined by daytime running lights extending into the wings. Sensor door handles ensure a flush side profile.

Bumpers and wheel arch linings are also made from that recycled rubber playground floor, and you may wonder what’s going on with seven vertical holes in the front bumper. These are intakes to suck air in for the cooling systems and brakes, while the orange bit can be pulled out to use as a tow hook and – very smartly – to safely cut off the car’s high-voltage current from the outside. There’s one in the rear bumper too.

The almost totally closed-off aero rims are mighty 22-inch efforts.

Configurable cinema room inside

The cabin’s trimmed in artificial leather and fabrics made of recycled polyester yarns, while the steering wheel’s more rectangle than circular. This means an unobstructed view of an 8.8-inch digital instrument display.

The 14.6-inch central touchscreen rotates depending on use. When driving it’s vertical, but when charging or stopping a Relax mode can be selected. Apparently the interior then transforms. 

The steering wheel and instrument cluster slide backwards; first-row seats rotate inwards and recline; second row seats recline and the screen switches to a horizontal position. A panoramic glass roof will help with the drive-in movie experience.

More clever stuff is seen with magnetic surfaces on seat backrests so second and third row passengers can attach their devices for optimal viewing, while a floating centre console is also magnetised to attach the likes of drinks bottles or a first-aid kit. 

There’s also a child seat mounted in front of the second-row seats, on the centre console and opposite to the direction of travel. This, we’re told, is the safest place for a child in the event of an accident.

Like a bit of crystal healing? Skoda’s not promising that, but there is a large crystal mounted in the dash top which shows the state of the EV’s battery charge. Cosmic.

Expedited electric future

Skoda also announced a new design language, new logo and new corporate identity for the brand as a whole.

It wants all-electric vehicles to make up 70 per cent of its sale in Europe by 2030, and is investing a further €5.6 billion ($8.2 billion) in e-mobility and €700 million ($1 billion) in digitalisation over the next five years. 

The Skoda badge is being replaced by Skoda lettering, while its colour scheme will be two different green hues – Emerald and Electric Green. These represent ‘ecology, sustainability and electromobility’. 

For those not as excited about Skoda’s full electric revolution, there are new combustion engine models coming in the near future. A new generation Superb and Kodiaq launch in the second half of 2023, with a refreshed Octavia following in 2024.