Skoda Epiq test: not €25,000, but just a really good small EV

The Skoda Epiq is expected to cost around €25,000. That didn’t quite work out. Yet during our second encounter, it became clear that Skoda fully understood what many EV buyers are looking for: a compact electric car without frills, but with surprisingly ample space and practicality.

The cheapest isn’t necessarily the most interesting

Let’s start right with that €25,000 figure. When Skoda announced the Epiq, there was strong emphasis on an electric car at that price point. In the Netherlands, the Skoda Epiq starts at €26,990. That’s still quite affordable, but it isn’t exactly the budget electric car worth twenty thousand euros that some in the market are waiting for.

For €26,990, you get the Epiq Essence 35 with a 38.5 kWh battery pack, 85 kW or 116 hp, and a WLTP range of 315 kilometers. This gives you plenty of range for daily use. However, we would seriously consider the version with the larger battery pack. The Selection Launch Edition 55 costs starting at €33,990, has a 56 kWh battery pack, 155 kW or 211 hp, and achieves a WLTP range of up to 436 kilometers. That’s an extra €7,000, but you get a much more useful EV in return.

And that’s where the discussion about “affordability” begins. While €26,990 sounds attractive, the version we find more interesting for many buyers costs around €34,000. The First Edition is even listed at €36,990. That’s still not an exorbitant price for a new electric car, but an EV for the masses? For that to happen, prices in this segment will ultimately need to drop further.

A Lot of Space in Just 4.17 Meters

Fortunately, the Epiq doesn’t try to justify its price with fancy exterior features. At 4.17 meters long, it’s quite compact, but its high body and sturdy wheel arches give it a noticeably bulkier appearance. At the front, Skoda introduces its new Modern Solid design language, featuring a black Tech-Deck Face and the distinctive T-shaped lighting. The result is a modern look without the car overdoing efforts to appear futuristic.

What’s more important is what lies beneath that exterior. After all, creating space in a compact car is where Skoda usually excels rather than coming up with complicated marketing terms. The trunk volume is 475 liters, which increases to 1,345 liters when the rear seat is folded down. These figures mean the Epiq hardly behaves like a small car.

There’s also a 25-liter frunk in the front. Interestingly, this was missing from our test car. It’s now clear why: Skoda will make this additional storage space available only later during production. Of course, a separate area under the hood is ideal for charging cables.

A typical Skoda interior, which is a compliment here

The interior follows the same minimalist approach. There’s no dashboard designed to impress, especially in the first five minutes, but rather a clear work area with sufficient storage space and a central infotainment screen of over 13 inches. Additionally, there are the familiar practical Skoda features: storage compartments, hooks in the trunk, and of course, an umbrella holder in the door.

During our test drives with the Epiq, what stood out most was how much a full-sized car Skoda managed to fit into those 4.17 meters. That makes it much more interesting than if you only considered its power or screen size. There is one caveat: we found the seating position a bit odd. It’s not something that would make us skip this car, but it is something worth trying out thoroughly during a test drive.

MEB+ places the electric motor at the front

Technically, the Epiq is also interesting. It is built on the new MEB+ platform and is Skoda’s first fully electric front-wheel-drive car. This fundamentally differs it from the larger Elroq and Enyaq, which have their electric motors at the back.

Two battery packs and three power variants have been developed. All versions can be charged via AC at 11 kW. The most powerful 55-version offers a DC charging capacity of up to 105 kW, with Skoda stating that it takes about 24 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. There’s no record-breaking charging speed, but it represents a solid performance for an EV in this price range.

The Epiq can also deliver power back from the battery pack. The most practical application of this is Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L. Using an adapter, you can power an e-bike, electric tools, or equipment at a campsite. Skoda discusses bidirectional charging more broadly, though applications where the car actually supplies power to a home or electrical grid depend on the available infrastructure.

No price killer, but likely a sales success

The Skoda Epiq doesn’t solve the major issues of electric driving all at once. A new EV with a decent range for less than €25,000 still sounds more attractive than an entry-level model costing nearly €27,000. And those who want a larger battery pack and more power will quickly end up spending over €30,000.

But that doesn’t mean the Epiq isn’t a particularly well-thought-out all-around package. It’s compact enough for daily use, spacious enough to serve as a family car, and the 56 kWh version offers sufficient range so you don’t have to constantly worry about charging. Add to that its straightforward interior and practical details, and it’s easy to see why this car is likely to have little trouble finding buyers.

It’s not the €25,000 electric car that was once promised. Instead, it’s a Skoda as a Skoda should be: uncomplicated and above all, a very practical car.

Text: Werner Budding