Skoda will merge the Octavia and Superb into a single electric vehicle aimed at challenging the Tesla Model 3 in Europe.

Klaus Zellmer, Skoda’s CEO, hinted that the Superb might be discontinued in the future due to declining demand for sedans in the European market. However, the Octavia’s production will continue as it still enjoys high popularity. Its fifth generation, previewed by the Vision O prototype, will be 100% electric and built on Volkswagen Group’s SSP platform.

In fact, the next Octavia will be slightly larger than its predecessor, which means it will also indirectly replace the Superb. The Vision O featured a family car body style, a format that is currently more successful in the Old Continent than traditional sedans. It’s unclear whether the new Octavia will also be available as a sedan or, like the latest Volkswagen Passat, will be offered exclusively as a station wagon.

The group aims to cut its global model lineup by 50% by 2035, so the disappearance of the Superb shouldn’t come as a surprise. Although Skoda is one of the most profitable brands in the conglomerate (with a margin of around 8.75%, very close to Volkswagen’s 9% target for the entire group), it will also be affected by the restructuring of its parent company.

"We are very proud of the Superb and love the Octavia. With both models, we feel confident in the market: the Octavia has led its segment since 2016. The big uncertainty lies in the future: sedans and family cars are not currently in demand. The [SSP] platform offers some flexibility to achieve the dimensions of the Superb. We are currently evaluating whether we still need a full range or if we can find an intelligent way to cover both segments and target groups."

The Skoda Octavia electric will be built on the SSP platform

The rationalization of Volkswagen’s product lineup can be seen in the German brand’s electric urban vehicles, which will be called ID. Up or ID. Lupo. While the original up! had counterparts from SEAT (Mii) and Skoda (Citigo), the new model will not have any siblings within the lineup, which contrasts with the approach of competitors (the new Dacia Spring, for example, is based on the Renault Twingo).

"We’re trying to ensure that our market presence is broad and that we don’t hinder each other. These decisions regarding the product lineup may seem surprising from the perspective of a single brand, but when considering the group as a whole, it makes sense."

Since the electric Octavia will be Skoda’s first model to use the SSP platform, we can expect it to debut at the end of the decade, alongside the ID. Golf and ID. Roc. CUPRA also appears to have electric versions of the Leon and Formentor; however, it will be an Audi that first adopts this architecture, likely the A4 e-tron in 2028.

Source | Autocar