Škoda Elroq… wait, Peaq: First Impressions of the New Flagship Electric Car

Škoda has rolled out two major newcomers this year — the brand's most affordable electric car, the Epiq, and its largest and priciest electric flagship, the Peaq. The name is no accident: pronounced like the English word "peak," it reflects the model's ambition to sit at the very top of Škoda's lineup.

At an imposing 4.87 metres long, the newcomer commands attention from a distance. The new Tech Deck Face radiator grille, featuring a T-shaped light signature, immediately catches the eye — a design language shared with the compact Škoda Epiq, though on the Peaq the vertical grille segments sit more upright, and the headlights use Matrix-LED technology.

From the side, distinctive alloy wheels, a chunky rear pillar and pop-out door handles stand out — a first for the brand. The opening mechanism itself remains conventional; electronics are only responsible for extending the handles. Thanks to this feature, along with washer nozzles hidden inside the wiper blades for the first time, the car achieves a drag coefficient of just 0.249.

A New-Generation Cabin

Inside, the Peaq introduces an entirely new dashboard concept. Behind the round steering wheel sits a 10-inch driver display, while the centre of the dashboard features a 13.6-inch Android-based infotainment screen, mounted vertically for the first time in the brand's history. A head-up display is available as an option.

Most physical buttons have disappeared from the cabin, though the manufacturer kept basic hard controls for the climate and media systems. Nice touches include wireless magnetic phone charging with cooling, a high-quality Sonos sound system, a panoramic roof spanning 2.1 square metres, and comfortable AGR-certified massage seats designed to keep the back properly supported.

Space inside is genuinely generous: even tall passengers will feel comfortable in the second row, and the third row suits not just children but average-height adults too. Even in the seven-seat layout, the boot holds 299 litres, rising to as much as 935 litres in the five-seat configuration. A 37-litre front boot (frunk) rounds out the picture.

Behind the Wheel of the Flagship

Most of the test drive took place in the top-spec Peaq 90x, fitted with the largest battery in Škoda's history — 91 kWh. Two electric motors provide all-wheel drive and a combined output of 220 kW, with 0–100 km/h acceleration taking 6.7 seconds.

The entry-level Peaq 60 gets a 63 kWh battery and a single 150 kW motor. Despite the notable power gap, the base version also proved comfortable to drive, including confident overtaking manoeuvres. Top speed for the base version is limited to 160 km/h, while the larger-battery versions can reach 180 km/h.

On German motorways, the flagship version's consumption hovered around 20 kWh per 100 km, rising to roughly 21 kWh per 100 km on the winding roads of Tyrol — though some drivers managed to dip below 19 kWh. According to the manufacturer, the 90x version can travel more than 600 km on a single charge, while the 60 manages over 450 km.

The adaptive DCC suspension impressed with its flexible stiffness settings, and the base version's standard suspension struck a good balance between comfort and composure. The one letdown was the brakes — they feel similar to those on the Enyaq and Elroq, which share the same rear-wheel-drive MEB platform, and require firmer pedal pressure for effective braking.

Demand Already Exceeding Expectations

Following the first test drives, the Škoda Peaq has confirmed the impressions made at its premiere: in terms of design, space, equipment and engineering, the model genuinely stakes a claim to the top of the brand's lineup. It's also helping the automaker break into a new market segment that is still developing slowly in Czechia.

Even so, according to the manufacturer, 790 orders for the new model had already been placed in Czechia in the period between the premiere and the first test drives. The top-spec 90x version is proving the most popular, and among the colour options, the new pink shade Rosewood — introduced for the first time on this model — has unexpectedly become a hit.

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Source: novinky.cz