Skoda's styling is getting sharper with each new production model or concept and the new Vision X unveiled today at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show is a prime example of the company's design direction. Typical for a showcar, the vehicle sits on large (20-inch) wheels and comes with hidden door handles to enable a sleeker side profile. The avant-garde interior is also exactly what you'd expect from a concept, with an uncluttered layout boasting a large screen on the center console incorporating most of the controls.
Essentially a preview of a subcompact crossover bound to slot underneath the Karoq, the concept has the jack of all trades when it comes to powertrain as it can run on gasoline, compressed natural gas, and in pure electric mode. Its heart and soul is the Volkswagen Group's now familiar 1.5-liter unit, but instead of being labeled "TSI" it's now called G-TEC as the rest of the (few) engines from Skoda that can run on CNG.
When it runs on CNG, the powertrain is rated at 130 hp (96 kW) and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) of torque, which isn't necessarily impressive, but it should suffice for city use. The compressed natural gas is found in two tanks, one underneath the rear seat and the other positioned behind the rear axle. It's important to mention the latter only kicks in only when the vehicle needs more power and when traction is low.
The Vision X concept's intricate powertrain also consists of two electric motors: one acts as the belt-driven starter generator of the 1.5-liter engine while the other is a separate motor with 70 Nm (51 lb-ft) of instant torque positioned on the rear axle working together with a lithium-ion battery. The latter can be recharged via brake energy recovery and then the recuperated energy can be put to good use whenever necessary.
Depending on what you need, the Vision X can be front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive, and with as much as 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque, which is pretty impressive considering this is after all, a Skoda. Performance is not what you would call mind-blowing, with the sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) taking 9.3 seconds and the top speed of just 124 mph (200 kph). Total range is pretty much on a par with a conventional gasoline-powered model, at up to 404 miles (650 kilometers) while CO2 emissions stand at a very low 89 g/km. If by any chance you run out of juice, there's an electric skateboard in the trunk "for the last mile."
Besides unveiling the Vision X, the Czech marque is also showcasing in Geneva the facelifted Fabia, Kodiaq Laurin & Klement, and slightly updated versions of the Octavia (with digital instrument cluster) and Superb (with new engines and digital cockpit.)
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