Why Skoda makes your perfect electrified company car

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1 January 2019

Electrifying. Quite a word. Conjures up all manner of good things. Synonyms include words such as exciting, thrilling, spellbinding, dazzling and captivating.

But the word means much more to company car drivers, because not only does it signify scintillating performance, but it also means “low company car taxation”. And that’s why, no matter what your fleet car needs, the Skoda electrified range has all of your business needs covered, with a variety of shapes, sizes and efficient powertrains.

Every single Skoda has usability as its very essence, and each different model expresses that usability in a slightly different way, which means that it doesn’t matter what your fleet-car needs are, there’s a Skoda out there that can cater for them.The Skoda Elroq offers space and EV running costs in a thoroughly modern SUV shape; the Skoda Enyaq provides huge room with zero-emissions running; the Skoda Superb offers limousine comfort and style with the flexibility of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the Skoda Kodiaq is the ultimate work-hard-play-hard business and family and business carry-all with tax-friendly, plug-in-hybrid versatility.

Skoda ElroqSkoda loves a two-word description. So, the new design language that the Elroq introduced last year is ‘Modern Solid’ – a phrase that conveys both contemporary style and high quality. And for years, the brand’s easy practicality ethos has been described by ‘Simply Clever’.

Well, the Elroq could be described by two more words: ‘Business Leader”, because not only does it make a tremendous company car, but it’s also one of the very best family options in its class, hence the fact that it has won numerous awards in its first year on sale.

The 50 model starts the lineup with a 55kWh battery and a range of up to 233 miles. Then there’s the 60, which has a 63kWh battery and a range of up to 265 miles. The 85 model brings a lengthy range of up to 356 miles with its 82kWh battery. And finally there’s the sporty vRS model with a 84kWh battery and a range of up to 339 miles. All models have a relaxed driving experience that makes journeys pass without you having to give them a second thought.

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The interior is spacious for five adults, which means that not only can you carry business colleagues around during the week, but there’s also plenty of room for the family and friends on weekends. And of course, the 470-litre boot area is more than big enough for everyone’s stuff.

The Elroq stacks up on the balance sheet, too, because its pure-electric drivetrain means that Benefit-in-Kind taxation is as low as it can possibly be, at just 3% in the current financial year.

The five trims (SE, SE L, Edition, SportLine and vRS) all provide a huge amount of standard equipment, so your final choice will come down to which best suits you and your family’s needs, be it the extra comfort of heated seats and a heated steering wheel, or perhaps you’d prefer Edition trim with its standard adaptive cruise control and traffic jam assist. Do you like to ‘make progress’? If so, SportLine trim, with its 20-inch alloy wheels and full LED Matrix beam headlights could be right up your street.And finally, the Elroq has your safety at its core, so is full of systems designed to keep everyone safe from harm, even if another driver has a lapse in concentration.

New Skoda EnyaqWhen Skoda came up with the original Enyaq EV, it got things very, very right indeed. It was a Skoda for the electric age, but which also utilised everything that made the brand a prime choice for company car drivers the world over. And this new version takes everything that was good about the first Enyaq and improves upon it.

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For a start, the Enyaq is hugely spacious – it’s like taking your living room out for a drive every time you leave home. There’s a vast amount of space for five adults, and the enormous boot area – 585 litres in the Enyaq and 570 litres in the Enyaq Coupé – means there’s no need for anyone to pack light. Better still, the boot is full of dividers and under-floor storage areas to keep everything secure and hidden.

Even the entry-level 60 version produces 201bhp, so there’s more than enough pace to put a smile on your face, and the 282bhp 85 and 85X might even elicit a small giggle. The 335bhp vRS is truly rapid with a 0-60mph sprint of just 5.2 seconds. And because the Enyaq is electric, that performance is delivered with the minimum of fuss.

A range figure of up to 269 miles for the 60 model means charging stops are few and far between. With up to 359 miles of electric range in the 85 SUV – and up to 365 miles in the 85 Coupe – there’s more than enough juice for most journeys. Charging rates are suitably brisk, too, with 10-80% topped up in as little as 24 minutes for the 60, 26 minutes for the vRS and 28 minutes for the 85 models.

And when charged up, the Enyaq even offers the option of bi-directional charging, so you can use the car to power other equipment, or even your house.

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All Enyaq models are well kitted out, with all the usual ‘Simply Clever’ kit such as an umbrella in a hidden door compartment and an ice scraper that doubles up as a tyre-tread-depth gauge, plus tri-zone climate control, heated seats and steering wheel, keyless entry, wireless smartphone charging and adaptive cruise control.

Skoda SuperbThe Skoda Superb really is the limousine of the company car world, and better still, you can enjoy all of the luxury it provides without having to shell out vast sums to HMRC.

That’s because the Skoda Superb Estate iV model is a plug-in hybrid, which combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and battery. Combined, these two power sources produce 204PS. The Skoda Superb Estate iV is also EU6 EB compliant with CO2 emissions as low as 28g/km for SE Tech, and 31g/km for SE L, SportLine and L&K trims. But the big news lies in the fact that the Superb iV can travel up to 85 miles on battery power alone, which qualifies it for the 6% banding in company car taxation. But it also means you could reduce your running costs by covering much of your mileage on battery power.

The Skoda Superb Estate iV stacks up in day-to-day life as well as on the balance sheet. For a start it has truly enormous cabin space for five people, and, at 510 litres, the boot is suitably enormous.

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As you’d expect, Skoda has been generous with equipment, too. The Superb SportLine comes complete with 19-inch alloy wheels and various sporty exterior adornments, while the interior features massaging front sports seats trimmed in Microsuede and artificial leather and a multifunction three-spoke sports steering wheel. Adaptive dampers – part of DCC Plus adaptive chassis control system – provide the ideal blend between comfort and sporty handling, too.

Laurin & Klement models feature seats with an advanced massage function, a blend of leather and artificial leather, heated outer rear seats, Area View camera, Canton sound system, Remote Park Assist – which allows you to guide a car into a bay from outside the car using the smartphone app – and Trained Parking.

And of course, the options list offers countless ways in which you can personalise your Superb.

Skoda KodiaqSUVs are popular for a reason. They offer an impressive mixture of versatility, all-weather ability and luxury. And the Skoda Kodiaq is at the very top of its game as a company car choice, too.

That’s because it’s available with a class-leading plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor for a combined total of 204PS, while the 25.7kWh battery can be charged from 10-80% in as little as 26 minutes. A full charge using an 11kW wallbox at home will take approximately 2.5 hours, so your Kodiaq will be ready to go in zero-emissions mode whenever you need it.

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A WLTP CO2 output as low as 35g/km on SE models (37g/km on SE L and 38g/km on SportLine) and a battery range of up to 76 miles puts the Kodiaq at the very summit of company car PHEV running, and means it qualifies for BiK of just 6% currently.

So the Kodiaq definitely does the business. And it also does the pleasure, because it’s a superb car to live with every day.

As Autocar’s testers say: “Inside, the Kodiaq is a very nice place to be,” adding: “It feels and looks refined, the panoramic roof adding a light and airy atmosphere to the cabin.”

That light and airy feeling is enhanced by the sheer space on offer for the five occupants, and the 745-litre boot means there’s no need to leave anything behind.Technology is another Kodiaq specialty, because it features Skoda’s ‘Smart Dials’, which can be configured to operate the systems you need at any given moment. It’s stuff like this, and the sheer number of storage areas, that make the Skoda Kodiaq easy to live with.

ConclusionEverybody has their own life to lead, with unique demands, but if you’re a company car user-chooser or a fleet manager there really is a Skoda that will suit your needs. From the fully electric Elroq and Enyaq SUVs, to the plug-in hybrid powertrains of the Superb Estate and Kodiaq, Skoda provides cars that have the space and flexibility to fit into your family’s life while keeping running costs to an absolute minimum. Now that’s an electrifying proposition.