Skoda’s new flagship seven-seat EV is called the ‘Peaq’, and it’s arriving this summer

On sale: Summer 2026 | Price from: £60,000 (est)

Every so often, the head of any great family must be replaced by new blood, brimming with fresh ideas to lead the group into a new era – that’s how the circle of life works. Later this summer, the Skoda Peaq is being launched with just such intent, becoming the marque's new flagship. 

The first few things to note are that it will a) be an electric car, and b) have seven seats. That means it will be in direct competition with the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 9, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90 – all of which represent the cream of their respective manufacturers’ crops. 

It’s also worth mentioning that the Peaq – which will play the role of electrified sibling to the Kodiaq – will draw heavily from 2022’s Vision 7S SUV concept car. It will almost certainly carry the 89kWh battery across to make for an estimated 370-mile range – enough to trouble the EV9 (349 miles), while sitting just short of the Ioniq 9 (385 miles). A 10-80% recharge should take around 30 minutes at a 200kW charger. 

The Peaq will sit atop Volkswagen Group’s MEB underpinnings, like the Enyaq and Elroq, with it highly likely to adopt the same rear-wheel drive, single-motor setup with a choice of several power bands. In the Enyaq, those are 168bhp, 201bhp and 282bhp. 

It’s also probable Skoda will release a vRS-badged version (which is applied to the sportiest version of its cars) at some point. That model should gain an extra motor – as it does in the Enyaq vRS and Elroq vRS – with the power output circling around the 335bhp-mark.

But while all this sounds good and well, the big leap forward for Skoda with the Peaq will be the way it looks. You see, the Vision 7S previewed a radical new piece of design language for Skoda, and a lot of it seems likely to make the final cut. Please note: the headline image you see is an AI-generated render, extrapolated from the second image in this story – that comes from an official teaser video released by Skoda.

Traits worth mentioning are a wider but more streamlined front grille than current Skoda models, a vertical insert forming part of the narrow headlight structure, and more straight-edged bumpers than we’ve seen on previous vehicles from the brand. It also gets a unique two-pronged rear wing, similar to that on the back of the MG4 Xpower. 

Some of the Vision 7S’s more conceptual frills – such as hooks you can pull out from its lower front bumper for towing but also to cut off the car’s electrical systems if needed – won’t be carried over to the production model. The car’s muscular stance and big 22in alloy wheels should remain, though.

Inside, the Vision 7S is set up with three rows of seats, made up of six adult chairs and one for a baby, placed in the centre of the car for maximum protection. The Peaq will swap this arrangement for a more standard 2+3+2 seating layout.

Where the Enyaq and Elroq get 13in infotainment systems, the Vision 7S had a larger 14.6in one. Regardless of which size ends up in the Peaq, the touchscreen will perform all the usual functions you’d expect in a portrait layout. The difference in the Vision 7S, though, is that the car transforms to help you relax when you’re charging up. 

The steering wheel and pedals retract, for example, and the two front seats recline and face inwards to give your second and third row passengers a better view of the screen, which rotates to become horizontal and can be used for watching films or playing games.

While almost every function can be controlled using the screen, there are also dedicated dials for the climate controls. There’s also a separate 8.8in digital instrument display for the driver, plus an augmented reality head-up display system that can put the most pressing information right in front of your eyes.

Materials used inside the Vision 7S come from sustainable sources. For example, the upper dashboard and doors are finished in artificial leather, while the floor and boot of the car use the same scratch-resistant material made from recycled tyres, which should be easy to clean.

Manufacturers are usually quite ambitious with the interiors of concept cars, with a lot of scaling down required for the production version. So precisely how many of these functions will make it into the Peaq is unclear, but given the debut will happen over the next couple of months, we won’t have to wait long to find out. 

For some vague idea, here’s what Martin Jahn, a board member for Skoda’s sales and marketing division, said: “With the Vision 7S, we entered new territory for Škoda, with a clear idea of how to elevate the brand. Since then, we have introduced a new design language and further refined our product identity. Now we are bringing this innovative vehicle concept to life. Our new flagship model takes our brand values of spaciousness and practicality to a whole new level.”

No word as yet on pricing either, but rumours are building of a circa £60,000 entry-point. Should it prove true, the Peaq would undercut a host of rivals including the EV9 and Ioniq 9 (both £65,000). 

Read more: Best 7-seat cars 2026

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