John Challen reports back on our Škoda Elroq long-termer.

Škoda Elroq SE L 60

OTR price: £34,665  BiK: 3%   Claimed range: 265 miles  On fleet range: 235 miles  On fleet efficiency:  3.6mpkWh

Report 4:

I’ve made a fair few motorway journeys in the Elroq over recent weeks, which pushed the driving range at times to its limit, but thankfully not beyond it to the point of either needing charging, or being stranded with no miles left.

However, there was one occasion where it was going to be touch and go as to whether I would make it out and back in one charge-less hit, so I decided to investigate the journey options. It turned out that choosing a route avoiding the majority of motorways saved about 50 miles, but only added five minutes to the elapsed time. Bit of a no-brainer, really, for the sake of five minutes that – knowing the M25 – would probably end up being spent at a standstill on the motorway anyway. It was a really interesting lesson in how a small adaption in how we can EVs can bring benefits – all for the sake of a bit of planning.

Talking of planning, the cold snap caught me out with the Elroq because I couldn’t see any app connectivity that would allow me to pre-heat the car before departure. There is a menu option on the screen to set it for a specific time, but I’m really not that organised! Another disappointment was the lack of a Škoda ‘Simply Clever’ integrated ice scraper. Unless I’m missing it, I couldn’t find one – and to make matters worse, having used my own one (not as good as the Czech options, I should add) and getting on the road, I heard a radio advert for the Elroq, specifically highlighting the scraper. I guess you have to go above the SE L to benefit from one as standard.

But those blips don’t detract from the overall driving and living experience – and the fact that the Elroq is a very capable, comfortable and dependable EV. It might not have every bell and whistle possible – or the mega miles of some other models in our fleet – but it just does everything you need it to. The more time I spend with it, the more I get to like it – which is a big compliment because it often ends up going the other way. We’ve got a few more journeys to make before the end of the year break, so I’m hoping to report more positivity in the near future.

John Challen

Report 3:

The more time I spend in the Elroq, the more I realise that it is a very capable and dependable car. That might sound like I’m damning it with faint praise and – in a way – that is the case, because it gets on with the job at hand with minimal fuss. In a world of an increasing amount of gadgets and gizmos that are designed with a view to ‘enhance the customer experience’ or something, the Elroq keeps things user-friendly. The simplicity of items such as physical buttons is welcoming, even if the overall experience might not blow you away.

One example of this approach are the seats. Yes, they are heated – something that comes in very handy on many mornings – but there’s no faux leather, memory presets or electric operation here. Just good old-fashioned fabric alongside manual controls to make sure you get comfortable quickly and with the least fuss. All of the seats are supportive, too, so kudos to the foam supplier for helping keep drivers fresh during – and at the end of – a long journey.

I mentioned in a previous report about a very slight fear over the available mileage, but recent journeys have not caused any concerns. It turns out just under 240 miles has been optimal for the trips I’ve had to make, albeit helped on at least one occasion by an available charger at my destination for the morning, which replenished the battery enough to make it back to the south coast with miles to spare.

Mr Kendall commented in his initial musings on the Škoda that it was one of the quietest EVs he had driven. I would agree with that assessment and also add that the acceleration – eight seconds dead to 62mph from a standstill in the SE L 60 – is swift, without being overwhelming, which can often be the case in EVs. Although they are slightly different propositions, I liken it to the Volkswagen ID.3 that I spent six months with earlier in the year – and that is very much a compliment.

With a cold snap approaching, I’m interested to see how the available miles will be affected. I’m expecting it to take a bit of a hit, so I am already preparing a lighter right foot if the need arises. A few extra minutes on the road to save a longer chunk of time at a charger is always preferable to me.

John Challen

Report 2: 

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My first experience of the Škoda Elroq was on the international launch of the car back in December last year in sunny Majorca. I was impressed with it then and, on first impressions, it lives up to all expectations on UK roads too. The Czech manufacturer has successfully managed to take all of the best elements of the Enyaq and transplant them into a smaller model, which opens up a whole new customer base.

The days of ‘range anxiety’ are still with us, to a degree, so some drivers might be a bit concerned about having ‘only’ 265 miles. In fairness, I’m struggling to get near that after a full charge – maybe it’s something to do with the more inclement weather as autumn kicks in. But it’s more than enough for the vast majority of journeys and, while the larger 82kWh battery and all the extra miles that come with it might be nice, I’m cool with what I’ve got.

Inside the Elroq, there are all the elements that drivers have come to expect from Škoda cars – practicality, space, comfortable seats and an umbrella. One feature that is a new one on me in the lineup is a handle to close the boot that is integrated into the locking mechanism. In the absence of a moulded handle or an electrically operated tailgate (that’s only available on the SportLine models) it prevents any hands getting dirty and is a simple and non-intrusive solution that really works. Dare I say, it’s ‘simply clever’…

Other items that have caught my eye – quite literally – are the puddle lights and also the car’s two-spoke steering wheel. Maybe it’s coincidence, but these seem to be getting more and more popular and personally I find them quite comfortable to hold and great to look at. One omission that, again, I think I might have experienced a bit too much recently, is a head-up display – an option that isn’t included on our car. Again, it’s no big issue, but it’s amazing how you get used to something to the point where you miss it when it’s not there!

John Challen

First report:

Electric cars are typically quiet, but sometimes that means you hear noises that an internal combustion engine would normally mask. That is not true in the new Škoda Elroq’s case, not least because there is no petrol- or diesel-powered model. Just the same, Škoda’s engineering team have done their critical noise path analysis well and the Elroq is quieter than many electric cars I have driven in the past.

Our new Elroq SE L 60 arrived, quietly, a couple of weeks ago. It features the medium battery option – 63kWh – but that is enough to give it a WLTP combined range of up to 265 miles, plenty for many fleet drivers’ purposes. The medium battery helps to keep the price down and also helps to demonstrate that electric cars are not necessarily as expensive as you might think. Our model has a recommended OTR price of £33,350. Add in Velvet Red metallic paint (£1,065) and Škoda’s Transport Package (£250) and the total comes to £34,665. The Transport Package? It’s another clever Škoda’s touch, as with the umbrella in the door. Effectively, it’s a rear parcel shelf with a storage net on the underside – useful for keeping the charging cable off the boot floor but easily accessible. Simple and very useful. Price and cost-wise, it’s right where it needs to be for many fleet drivers.

Like many rivals, the Elroq is well equipped, including a 13-inch touchscreen display, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated steering wheel, cruise control and speed limiter, gesture and voice control, heated front seats, LED headlamps and ambient lighting, satellite navigation, smartphone integration and much more. Fleet drivers will be pleased to see that it can handle rapid charging up to 165kW – you might struggle to drink a coffee and have a bite to eat before it’s fully charged.

John Kendall