PARIS MOTOR SHOW: Up to five Skoda EVs by 2025

Skoda has committed to releasing its first electric vehicle by 2021, and it will come with the sort of twist for which the Czech car-maker has become famous.

Volkswagen plans to become the world's biggest EV-maker by selling a million of them annually by 2025, and the radical I.D. concept (pictured) – the first vehicle to be based on the German giant's new modular EV platform dubbed MEB – previews the first key EV to be released in 2020.

Now, speaking at yesterday's Paris motor show opening, Skoda Auto's sales and marketing board member Werner Eichhorn says his company will follow suit just a year later, and produce up to five all-electric models by 2025.

Before its first EV appears in 2021, however, Skoda has committed to releasing its first plug-in hybrid model – based on its Superb Flagship – in 2019, followed soon after by a PHEV version of the next-generation Octavia. A PHEV version of the upcoming Kodiaq SUV is also on the cards.

"We have announced that the Superb will get the plug-in hybrid and that comes through in 2019," Eichhorn told Australian journalists.

"Then we are playing around with the new Octavia, which needs to provide something other than a combustion engine, so that too will be a plug-in.

"Then later on we have to think about full electric cars because sustainability and [CO2] guidelines are so that we have to work on it. We are in the middle analysing what is needed to achieve those guidelines."

Asked when Skoda would produce its first EV based on VW's MEB platform, which in its first iteration promises a sub-$40,000 pricetag and up to 600km between battery charges, Eichhorn said:

"We are working within the group which has a clear announcement that there will be one million [battery-electric] Volkswagens by 2025, and of course we have to participate.

"So like we are using all the other [VW] platforms, somehow in some way we also use the EV platform and of course we will do it in a Skoda way."

"Somewhere in 2021 – I don't know the month or the quarter – Skoda will have an electric car. We have to open new ground.

"So 2019 [Superb] hybrid, then shortly after that our first EV [in 2021] and four to five pure EVs from Skoda by 2025."

Eichhorn said EV technology would bring a significant opportunity for Skoda, but would not be drawn on the type of vehicle the brand's first pure-electric model would take.

"I'm really looking forward to it. As a group, we have the opportunity to really make some fancy stuff on the new MEB platform.

"Based on the opportunity of the MEB platform we will create a new one. That gives us new ideas and I don't know what we call it, but it will be fancy, colourful and exciting.

"So we look around, we try to find what could be some new fields of action for Skoda. We don't know the final result yet, but of course we are analysing what could be possible.

"We have to see what the other [VW Group] brands are doing. For the next month we play around a bit, we dream a bit and then it comes to reality. In the meantime we have the option to investigate what could be an opportunity for Skoda."

Asked if the packaging advantages of engineless electric vehicles would allow Skoda to further build on its reputation for interior flexibility and space, Eichhorn said:

"Yes of course, because we talk about spaciousness and functionality and with EV we really can make the space inside tremendous.

"When the engine and gearbox is gone that gives you plenty of space and of course we'd like to utilise this. We have some great ideas for it.

"It's a serious car for us and whenever we do it, it will be done in a Skoda way."

Skoda Australia boss Michael Irmer was cautious about committing to any of these electrified models Down Under.

He said plug-in hybrid versions of both the Suberb and next Octavia would be considered for local release, and conceded that all-electric Skodas would eventually become a reality here too.

Asked specifically when Australians would have access to a Skoda EV, he said: "This is a question I can't answer.

"At some stage we will be there too, but it's a little bit harder for us. Australians want performance not economy, but I won't rule it out."