Skoda offers an Enyaq under 40,000 euros to compete with Tesla, with a trick

It is true that the majority of electric cars are currently too expensive to be adopted on a large scale. However, Tesla and Ford have recently engaged in a price war by lowering prices for certain models such as the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E .

Now Skoda is also entering the competition by launching its own electric car, the Skoda Enyaq iV , at a price of less than 40,000 euros . However, this new variant of the Skoda Enyaq iV 50 has a subtlety.

The starting price of 39,990 euros in Germany is the first element to consider. Moreover, this model was already available in some markets until early 2022, such as in France, but it was withdrawn due to a shortage of microchips.

Thus, Skoda favored the production of the most expensive and powerful versions, as many manufacturers do. However, Skoda is now offering the Enya iV 50 in some markets at a price below €40,000 to respond to Tesla's price drop .

According to Martin Jahn , director of sales and marketing for Skoda , this decision was made to meet the demand of certain markets which did not want a car with a higher price and less range.

There is no small price without a small battery

Skoda will offer a version of the Skoda Enyaq iV 50 with a single 109 kW (148 hp) electric motor in some markets, fitted to the rear axle, which will be mated to a 55 kWh battery (52 kWh usable). This power is considered sufficient to move the car 1,865 kg.

According to Skoda, this configuration can offer a range of up to 365 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. The battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% in just 36 minutes in DC fast charging stations, as it accepts a maximum charging power of 110 kW.

In its standard configuration, the Skoda Enyaq iV 50 is equipped with 19-inch two-tone alloy wheels , a 13-inch navigation system and a reversing camera, and costs 39,900 euros in Germany, where it complements the range initiated by the more expensive version, the Enyaq iV . For now, the Enyaq iV 50 is only available in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and it has not yet been decided whether it will be released in other countries.

In Spain, the cheapest Skoda Enyaq is currently the 204 horsepower Enyaq iV 80 , which has a 77 kWh battery and costs 61,100 euros. The Spanish range is completed by the Enyaq RS , which has 299 horsepower and costs 64,600 euros. In other countries, such as France, the Netherlands or Belgium, the Enyaq range starts with the Enyaq iV 60 , the price of which varies between 46,695 and 48,000 euros depending on the country.

With this new version, Skoda hopes to reach a wider audience and increase its production volumes. However, the Skoda Enyaq iV 50 highlights the challenge that many manufacturers face if they want to offer affordable electric cars: the battery. To reduce costs, it is necessary to reduce the capacity of the battery, which can affect range, an important criterion for many electric car buyers and which has been a key element of Tesla's success.