All-electric eRS models will join Skoda's sporty vRS range from 2020

Pure electric cars are set to join Skoda's high-performance vRS range, carrying a new name: eRS. These images show how a Skoda eRS SUV could look when it arrives in 2020, when a production version of the brand's Vision E concept is expected.

In a conversation with our sister title Auto Express, Skoda's board member for sales and marketing, Alain Favey, said “There will be electric versions of vRS – eRS. The logic is the same – it’s not about performance as such. Our most powerful engine is 245bhp so by any stretch of imagination we’re not talking about [challenging] Ferrari.

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“It’s about the experience and that’s something we can do very well in our future electric cars. Definitely we will have RS versions of our electric cars – it’s part of our brand. It’s about the look, it’s about the sporty feeling when you’re driving the car, it’s about the seats, it’s about the experience and I think that’s what our customers like.”

It seems that the eRS will focus on sporty looks and an engaging feel, rather than offering extra performance – Favey has confirmed that only one battery power output will be offered by its EV. Electric range should impress, though; he went on to say “If it doesn’t have a range of 300 miles we shouldn’t come to the market. It’ll be 300 miles plus."

As yet unnamed, the production version of Skoda's Vision E concept – revealed at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show – has been hinted as staying relatively true to the look of the show car. It's set to use the same MEB electric car platform as the forthcoming VW I.D models. Alain Favey told Auto Express that he expected it to be aligned with top models in the Skoda Kodiaq range, so a starting price of around £30,000 is likely when the EV goes on sale in 2020.

Before the, an all-electric version of the Skoda Citigo (due in late 2019) will help Skoda's dealers and workshops to prepare for an increase in electric car sales. “We have two years to improve the competence of our dealer network [in relation to EVs],” said Favey, who expects dealers to provide its electric car customers with high-speed charging facilities as an added business opportunity.