Electric Cars: The Basics
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The Skoda Octavia PHEV Estate
Skoda Auto a.s., more commonly referred to as Skoda, is headquartered in the Czech Republic. The founders of Škoda, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement were initially involved with the manufacturing of bicycles and motorcycles. In due course they progressed to trucks and eventually to cars, establishing Skoda in 1925. The company currently has the following battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs):
- All-electric Skoda ENYAQ iV
- All-electric Skoda ENYAQ Coupé iV
- All-electric Skoda Elroq
- Skoda OCTAVIA iV Plug-In Hybrid Estate
- Skoda OCTAVIA Plug-In Hybrid Hatch
- Skoda SUPERB iV Plug-In Hybrid Hatch
- Skoda SUPERB iV Plug-In Hybrid Estate
The Skoda Octavia family car has been manufactured since 1996. The model is currently on its fourth generation. The Octavia has sold well since its introduction, with more than five million cars sold. The fourth generation Octavia was unveiled in Prague in November 2019. Deliveries commenced in 2020. The Skoda Octavia is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Skoda has developed rather successfully a reputation for ‘value for money’ in relation to family cars, and in particular, the Octavia estate has achieved leadership in its segment. Given that the availability of practical and affordable estate electric cars is limited, the Skoda Octavia plug-in hybrid is well positioned for families and company-car drivers seeking a spacious, affordable and environmentally-friendly car.
The Skoda Octavia estate plug-in hybrid has a 13 kW onboard EV battery, quite typical for PHEVs in this price segment. The manufacturer claims an EV range up to 70 km (WLTP certified). Even adjusting for real-world driving, the electric car should be able to achieve up to 55 km, which is reasonably good in comparison to other plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Do keep in mind that the majority of family trips are short distances i.e. school-runs, grocery store, shopping etc. The average distanced travelled in a day is 50 km, so an electric range up to 55 km is more than sufficient to take advantage of the benefits of electric driving.
Even, for those that drive to work, driving on electric mode works well, as the electric car can be charged at home and at work (workplace EV charging)! For those weekend getaways, the petrol engine can be utilised for the longer drives.
Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Skoda offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.
The PHEV is not DC charging compatible (most PHEVs are not) and has a 3.6 kW onboard charger. The PHEV can be fully charged in 3.5 hours. Using a 3-PIN socket will take up to 5 hours. In any case, we at e-zoomed recommend charging the EV overnight, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper. Of course, we also encourage using green energy to charge the EV!
Moreover, driving on e-mode improves the efficiency of the electric vehicle i.e. lower motoring costs! Skoda claims the PHEV has a fuel economy up to 1.0 l/100km. Real-world economy will certainly be less efficient, but substantially better compared to the conventional internal combustion (ICE) variant.
The Octavia plug-in electric car offers decent performance, appropriate for this type of family estate car. The 1.4-litre TSI iV petrol engine (4-cylinders) is paired with an electric motor. The plug-in electric car can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds.
The top speed of the EV is 220 km/h. The total system performance is up to 245 PS and 250 Nm torque. Certainly suitable for city and motorway driving. Of course, do keep in mind that the EV also benefits from instant torque.
Practicality is a strong point for the Octavia PHEV. The vehicle offers generous interior cabin space for front and rear seat passengers, to include legroom and headroom. The EV is certainly comfortable. The boot space has been reduced due to the placement of the onboard EV battery. Nevertheless there is up to 490 L cargo volume on offer!
The EV has significantly lower tailpipe emission (27g CO2/km) compared to the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) variant (157g CO2/km). Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| A value for money plug-in family estate car | Lacks fun factor |
| Decent level of standard equipment | On board charger limited to 3.6 kW AC |
| Cheap to run on electric mode | Exterior styling lacks inspiration |
Gallery
The Skoda Octavia Plug-In Hybrid Estate (credit: Skoda)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | Estate |
| Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | No |
| Variants (1 Option) |
|---|
| Skoda Octavia Plug-In Hybrid (from € N/A) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 13 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3.5 hrs) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 23 – 27g (CO2/km) |
| Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1500 |
| Width (mm): | 1829 |
| Length (mm): | 4702 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2680 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.1 |
| Boot capacity (L): | 490 |
| Plug-In Hybrid 1.4 TSI iV | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 13.0 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 70 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 143 – 147 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km) | 1.0 – 1.2 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3.5 hrs) |
| Top Speed: | 220 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 7.8 seconds |
| Drive: | Available in FWD and AWD |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Max Power (PS): | 204 – 245 |
| Torque (Nm): | 250 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Total Weight (kg): | 2,090 – 2,163 |
| Colours: | 7 – 10 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Longest Range Plug-In Hybrid Electric Cars: Top 5
The continued improvement in the development of electric cars is not limited to only pure electric cars, also known as battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). In fact, we have also witnessed improvements for the latest-generation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). In particular, increased range and lower emissions.
In the list below of longest-range PHEVs, all EVs have a claimed WLTP e-range over 100 km. Leading the pack is the Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid with an emission-free electric range up to 114 km. In regards to tailpipe emissions, Mercedes PHEVs top the list with tailpipe emissions as low as 13g (CO2/km), significantly lower compared to the conventional petrol or diesel variants!
Though historically, plug-in hybrids have played an important role in the migration from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) petrol and diesel vehicles to all-electric cars, given the significant improvement in the e-range of pure electric cars, the role of PHEVs has reduced in importance. We can expect this trend to continue, as automotive manufacturers focus on developing and delivering pure electric cars. We at e-zoomed expect plug-in hybrid cars to become redundant in due course.
In general, we recommend buying a pure electric car, however, with those with very limited access to EV charging infrastructure and need to drive long distance on a regular basis, to consider a PHEV. Do keep in mind, for most families, day-to-day driving needs are limited to short journeys i.e. school runs, grocery store, gym, work, high street etc. Most of the latest-generation of pure electric cars can meet this need!
| Brand/ Model | Battery Size (kWh) | Electric Range (WLTP) | Tailpipe Emissions (CO2/km) | Body Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz C Class Plug-In Hybrid | 25.4 kWh | 104 km | 13g (CO2/km) | Estate |
| Mercedes-Benz C Class Plug-In Hybrid | 25.4 kWh | 110 km | 13g (CO2/km) | Saloon |
| Mercedes-Benz S Class Plug-In Hybrid | 28.6 kWh | 101 km | 19g (CO2/km) | Saloon |
| Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid | 38.2 kWh | 114 km | 20 – 18g (CO2/km) | SUV |
| Range Rover Plug-In Hybrid | 38.2 kWh | 112 km | 21 – 18g (CO2/km) | SUV |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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