How the Skoda Enyaq busts the biggest electric myths

However, as you’re probably starting and finishing these types of journeys near either a home charger, a work charger, or the sorts of long-stay ‘fast’ destination chargers that you get in city centre car parks, big supermarkets, shopping malls or out-of-town leisure centres, you’re almost certain to be starting your journey with a full or near-full battery. That means the chances of you running out of charge and not being near a charger that can offer you a quick top-up are pretty small.

What about long journeys? Well, how about the 220-mile route from London to Leeds? That’s a trip that takes four hours, and is a journey that you probably wouldn’t do in one hit without stopping for coffee or lunch. 

Big motorway and A-road service stations on main routes often boast the fastest ultra-rapid chargers. So, while you’re stretching your legs and refuelling yourself, you can potentially add a healthy dose of miles in just a few minutes on the right charger. And that brings us nicely onto the next electric myth…

Myth #2: Charging takes too long

In a world where we’re used to brimming our cars’ tanks full in just a few minutes, it’s a fact that electric charging is a long way from being as fast as the petrol pump. But let’s rethink how you charge for a second: and it all starts at home.

According to the RAC Foundation, the average UK car spends 96% of its time parked up, with 73% of that time spent sitting at home on your driveway. So, why not charge your fully electric car when you’re not using it anyway? 

The result: you can make the most of lower-cost overnight, off-peak or EV-friendly energy tariffs to charge your car in the most cost-efficient and time-efficient way. It also means you start every journey each morning with the maximum possible range.

If you do need to charge away from home, the Skoda Enyaq offers the flexibility to fit the wealth of rapid and ultra-rapid chargers in the UK’s fast-growing network.

The updated-for-2024 Skoda Enyaq 85 Edition and L&K models can now charge at 135kW. Pick the Skoda Enyaq 85x SportLine Plus or the sporty Skoda Enyaq vRS, and you get game-changing 175kW charging capability that can boost your battery from 10% to 80% in as little as 28 minutes on a suitably compatible charger in ideal conditions.

Equally, when it comes to public charging, the reality is you probably don’t need to spend as much time or money charging as you think. 

Electric car batteries, like those in the Skoda Enyaq, are designed to charge rapidly when empty. They then slow the rate of charge when they’re nearly full to preserve your battery’s long-term performance. That means if you stop charging at 80% on a public charger, you’ll get more miles per minute for less cost.

So, instead of wasting time and money charging 100% to the brim, simply add the range and miles you need to get you to your next long, slow, cost-effective charging solution when your car well be parked up for an extended period – whether at home, at work, or a long-stay ‘fast’ public charger near your next destination. 

This is sometimes called ‘grazing’ for charge. It’s similar to how you top up your own energy during the day with a light lunch on the move or snacks, before sitting down for a more relaxed big healthy meal when at home. It’s all about fitting charging round your day: the right energy boost at the right pace in the right location.

You can find out more about how long it takes to charge the Skoda Enyaq, and how to pick the right type of charging to optimise your range, minimise your time stood still and keep your charging costs low using Skoda’s smart charging calculator.

Myth #3: You can’t rely on the charging network

Another common misconception is that the UK’s charging network isn’t up to the job. Not enough chargers. Not enough of the right type and speed. Having to waste time queuing because of both of the above. Or the chargers are all broken. Once again, it’s time to prove those myths wrong.

First, as we’ve said, charging makes more sense done at home, at work or at your destination, meaning you probably don’t have to rely on public charging as much as you think. But if you do need an on-the-go top-up, the stats may surprise you.

According to zap-map.com, as of May 2024 there were 92,500 charging connections at 61,200 charging devices at over 32,600 locations around the UK – and that number continues to grow by around 1600 charging devices per month. By comparison, there were just 8,353 petrol stations left across the UK in 2022.

The UK’s charging network has also been set up and structured to ensure that the right chargers are in the right location to suit the length of time you’ll be charging. For example: the majority of long-stay destination ‘slow’ and ‘fast’ chargers, which deliver charging speeds from 3kW to 22kW, tend to be located in city centre car parks, supermarkets, shopping malls or out-of-town leisure centres where you’ll be parked up for an extended period and can do a slow, cost-effective charge. 

The ‘rapid’ or ‘ultra-rapid’ chargers which form up to 20% of the network and offer faster charging speeds from 25kW to 100kW+ tend to be located at service stations or hubs near major A-roads and motorways, delivering a much faster top-up that adds lots of miles in just a few minutes to get you on your way again.

The Skoda Enyaq’s smart electric-focused in-car satellite navigation helps you find, pick and chart your way around the most appropriate charging stops for your trip – whether it’s for speed, cost or proximity to your route. Equally, the Skoda Enyaq’s always online Skoda Connect capability lets you pre-plan your journey and charging using the MySkoda smartphone app from the comfort of your sofa, before syncing it with your car.

Myth #4: Public charging is expensive and complicated

In the early days of EV charging, there were a wealth of different providers – all with different membership packages or prohibitively expensive pay-as-you go rates. That meant you had to carry a wallet-full of charging cards or apps: sort of like having a different credit card for each and every supermarket or corner shop you visit.

Well, things are certainly easier today. First, the UK government has mandated that every charger should accept contactless payment for quick and easy pay-as-you-go charging, with clear and transparent pricing in pence per kWh. Equally, car brands like Skoda are making electric charging easy by gathering a wealth of providers into one easy-to-manage membership. Think one card to rule them all.

Skoda’s Powerpass offers a choice of three simple streamlined membership options, giving you seamless one-account one-card access to more than 600,000 charging points across Europe from multiple suppliers – including the fast-growing ultra-rapid IONITY network – often with discounted rates. So, it has never been easier to find the right charge point, minimise the hassle, stay on top of your costs, and manage your receipts. Talking of which…

Myth #5: Electric cars are expensive to buy and run

The big benefit of running an electric car is reduced whole-life costs: looking at the bigger picture and balancing the initial purchase price with the reduced long-term costs of charging, road tax and servicing and maintenance.

With the Skoda Enyaq, that journey starts on day one. Whether you want more range, more performance or even more tech and style, the Skoda Enyaq line-up is keenly priced. Equally, with lots of smartly packaged-and-priced Design Selection trim packs and tech and convenience packs to choose from, you can spec your perfect Skoda Enyaq to fit your budget.

The fully electric Skoda Enyaq is also particularly appealing to company car drivers, thanks to benefit-in-kind BIK rates of just 2% for the 2024/2025 tax year. You can check exactly what the latest BIK payments are for every Skoda Enyaq model on Skoda’s dedicated company car tax calculator. But a company car driver in the 40% tax bracket will pay annual BIK of just £356 a year (just £30 a month) for the privilege of driving a Skoda Enyaq 85 Edition, while for a 20% taxpayer it’s £178 a year or just £15 per month.

When it comes to Vehicle Excise Duty or road tax, the Skoda Enyaq is VED-exempt until April 2025. You’re also exempt from Clean Air Zone (CAZ) or Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges in urban areas. The other big cost of running a car – servicing and maintenance – is also typically lower for electric models, as they have fewer complex moving parts.

Ultimately, it’s the ultra-low charging costs of the Skoda Enyaq’s ultra-efficient powertrain where the benefits of going fully electric really stand out. As we’ve said, the majority of your charging is best done at home overnight when you’re not using your vehicle anyway, letting you make the most of cost-effective overnight off-peak or EV-friendly energy rates and tariffs. 

Skoda has a handy fuel savings calculator that lets you calculate the cost benefits of going fully electric with the Skoda Enyaq, and it shows that a driver doing 15,000 miles a year can save around £900 by switching from a petrol model doing around 56.5mpg to a Skoda Enyaq 85 Edition. 

Myth #6: Electric cars aren’t practical to use

Think an electric car’s batteries will take up space that leaves you less room for people and luggage? Think again. The low-slung design of the Skoda Enyaq’s advanced compact batteries mean it’s roomy enough inside for five people, with lots of legroom and head room for six-footers in both the front and the back. 

It can also pack plenty in the boot, with up to 585 litres of luggage space as standard in the Skoda Enyaq SUV, or up to 1710 litres with the 60:40 split-rear seats folded down. According to What Car?, that’s enough for nine carry-on suitcases. Pick the sleek Skoda Enyaq Coupe, and you still get 570 litres, expanding to 1610 litres.

Up front, the Skoda Enyaq is dotted with a wealth of storage solutions, cubby holes, phone pockets and cup holders for the driver and front passenger, while the double pockets and foldable tables on the back of the rear seats and dedicated rear USB-C sockets on selected models let rear passengers stay entertained and charged up.

The Skoda Enyaq is also packed with plenty of ‘Simply Clever’ features to make each and every journey a little easier, such as a handy umbrella in the front door. 

What Car? had particular praise for the Skoda Enyaq’s wide tailgate opening and low load lip in its five-star review, and selected trims add an electrically operated tailgate. Finally, if you pick the Transport Package, you get an easy access button in the luggage space that lets you quickly fold the rear sears down – as well as a range of storage nets and an underfloor storage compartment for the boot that let you neatly store your charging cables and other regularly used items.

Myth #7: Electric cars aren’t fun to drive

So, we’ve covered all the pragmatics. But what about the fun factor? Well, thanks to the Skoda Enyaq’s fully electric powertrain, every model in the range offers a dash of driving spark to help you pack in more smiles per mile on every journey.

The Skoda Enyaq 85 Edition – with its updated powertrain for 2024 – delivers an enhanced 286PS and 545Nm of torque for hot-hatch-like 0-62mph acceleration of 6.7s, while Skoda Enyaq 85x SportLine Plus models add a second electric motor to the front wheels for true all-wheel drive confidence-inspiring traction.