Skoda Previews Its Electric Future With Peaq 7 Seat SUV's Sketches
Skoda has released the first official exterior design sketches of the Peaq, an all-new electric seven-seater SUV that will serve as the brand's flagship. The vehicle is set for its global premiere on June 23 in Monnetier-Mornex, France. The sketches show a large SUV that breaks from Skoda's current internal combustion engine design language, introducing what the company calls its "Modern Solid" design ethos to a production vehicle of this size.
The Peaq is a critical car for Skoda. While the Enyaq established the brand's electric credentials in the mid-size segment, the Peaq moves Skoda into the large, three-row electric SUV space. This segment is currently sparsely populated globally, with the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 being among the few direct non-luxury competitors.
The most noticeable design shift in the sketches is at the front. The traditional Skoda grille with vertical slats has been replaced by what the design team calls the "Tech-Deck Face." This is a gloss-black, flat panel that sits between slim, T-shaped LED headlights. The headlights and the Tech-Deck are connected by a horizontal element, creating a continuous loop motif across the front of the car.
Karl Neuhold, Skoda's Head of Exterior Design, described the approach as combining clean lines with balanced proportions to create a "timeless presence." The lower bumper, which Skoda refers to as Volcano-shaped, features a pronounced contour that contrasts with the flatter upper section.
The side profile shown in the sketches relies on a high shoulder line and wide D-pillars to give the vehicle a substantial stance, as is typical for seven-seaters where third-row headroom dictates a boxier rear section.
The sketches also show flush door handles, an aerodynamic necessity for EVs to maximise range, cleanly integrated into the doors. The T-shaped lighting motif is repeated at the rear, wrapping around the corners to match the front-end design.
Packaging a seven-seater electric SUV presents specific engineering challenges. A large cabin requires a large battery to move the vehicle's weight while delivering an acceptable range. The Peaq will be built on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform, which already underpins the Enyaq. To accommodate the third row and the required battery capacity, the Peaq will necessarily sit on one of the longest wheelbase variants of that architecture.
While Skoda has not released powertrain or battery specifications ahead of the June 23 premiere, the MEB platform currently supports battery capacities up to 86 kWh (net) in models like the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Given the size and intended family-hauling purpose of the Peaq, a battery pack in that upper range is almost certain to be part of the offering. About 86 kWh would translate into a real world range of 450-480 Kms.
For this market, the Peaq's relevance will depend on Skoda's long-term EV assembly strategy. The Enyaq has been evaluated for local launch for some time. The Peaq, as a larger flagship, would sit at the premium end of the spectrum if brought in as a fully imported unit. For now, the sketches confirm that Skoda's largest SUV is going fully electric, and its design language is moving decisively away from the grille-heavy look of the Kodiaq.