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After being closed for more than two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, ŠKODA AUTO is now reopening its Czech production facilities to visitors. The guided tours of selected plant areas and final assembly are ideal for school groups and families with children aged ten and over. The tours are offered in various languages, including Czech, English, German and Dutch.

“We are delighted to finally be able to offer our factory tours again after more than two years. It’s worthwhile visiting because our plants have changed a lot in that time. In Mladá Boleslav, for example, we’ve started producing the all-electric ENYAQ iV family as well as MEB battery systems, and in Kvasiny we’ve continued to systematically modernise the production facilities. Meanwhile, the Vrchlabí plant became ŠKODA AUTO’s first CO₂-neutral production site at the end of 2020.”

Andrea Frydlová, Head of the ŠKODA Museum

The only requirement for a guided tour of the Mladá Boleslav plant is to pick up a ticket from the ŠKODA Museum. The admission for a guided tour in Czech is 180 CZK; for a plant tour in other languages, it is CZK 260. Guided tours at the Kvasiny and Vrchlabí sites are free of charge. The tours, which last around two hours, are often accompanied by the carmaker’s former employees.

The tours are aimed at technology enthusiasts as well as school classes and families with children aged ten and over. The ŠKODA ENYAQ iV family, the manufacturer’s first all-electric production models based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB) are now rolling off the same production line in Mladá Boleslav as vehicles with combustion engines based on the MQB. To achieve this, ŠKODA AUTO made major adjustments to the production line. The production of battery systems for various Group brands’ MEB vehicles has also recently been launched at the main plant, making Mladá Boleslav the only location in Europe outside Germany where these battery systems are manufactured.

Around 7,000 employees currently produce the SUPERB and SUPERB iV models as well as the KAROQ and KODIAQ in Kvasiny. By relocating the new-generation SUPERB to Bratislava, capacities will be created at the site for an additional 150,000 units of the SUV series KODIAQ and KAROQ.

The Vrchlabí plant plays a central role in component production for ŠKODA AUTO. This is where the DQ200 automatic direct-shift gearbox is produced; in early February this year, the four millionth DQ200 gearbox left the assembly line since production started in October 2012. Since the end of 2020, the site has been the Czech carmaker’s first CO₂-neutral production facility.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

ŠKODA AUTO is contributing to the energy transition: In addition to developing and producing all-electric vehicles, such as the ENYAQ iV family, the car manufacturer is systematically supporting the advancement of renewable energies. For example, the Czech car manufacturer is also involved in constructing a new wind farm in Finland. With a calculated energy volume of 570 GWh per year, the plant will produce enough green energy in the future to supply around 150,000 households with electricity – or power ŠKODA electric vehicles with zero local emissions.

ŠKODA AUTO aims for 50 to 70 per cent of all its vehicles sold in Europe to be electric by 2030, depending on how the market develops. As part of the NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030, the Czech manufacturer is therefore planning to launch at least three more all-electric models by the end of the decade, which will be positioned below the ENYAQ iV family, both in terms of price and size. To ensure that these vehicles can be powered by green electricity, ŠKODA AUTO is firmly committed to the expansion of renewable energies.

One of the current projects ŠKODA AUTO is supporting in this area is a large wind farm operated by a Norwegian energy company in Finland. The 38 wind turbines from the manufacturer Vestas have been installed at three different locations, and each has a rated output of 4.2 MW. At the site in Välikangas, for example, 24 wind turbines generate a total of 100.8 MW, while the seven turbines each at Pithipudas and Sievi produce 29.4 MW per site. In total, the nominal capacity of the wind farm is 159.6 MW, which means that a calculated energy volume of 570 GWh can be generated per year. This amount of electricity could supply around 150,000 households.

ŠKODA AUTO has set itself the goal of minimising the environmental impact of its products and mobility solutions, i.e., the ecological footprint of the company’s operations. The car manufacturer combines all of its activities in this area – from the extraction of raw materials to the end of a vehicle’s life cycle – under the umbrella of its Green Future strategy. In addition, the company has again strengthened its ambitious environmental goals under the NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030: from 2030, the Czech and Indian plants will be net emission-free in vehicle production. The Czech plant in Vrchlabí is leading the way in this respect and has been ŠKODA AUTO’s first CO₂‑neutral production site since the end of 2020. In addition, the company aims to reduce fleet emissions by more than 50 per cent by the end of the decade compared to 2020. ŠKODA AUTO is also continuously reducing its energy and water consumption as well as the amount of waste per vehicle produced. Since the beginning of 2020, the carmaker has been recycling or thermally processing all waste resulting from production at its Czech sites.

Article source: https://www.skoda-storyboard.com/en/press-releases/skoda-auto-supports-wind-farm-project-in-finland/

ŠKODA AUTO has started manufacturing battery systems for all-electric vehicles based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB) in Mladá Boleslav. This makes the car manufacturer’s main plant the only production facility for MEB battery systems in Europe outside Germany. Around 250 employees will soon be assembling more than 250,000 MEB battery systems a year on the newly constructed production line. In addition to ŠKODA vehicles, these will also be installed in MEB models made by Volkswagen, Audi and SEAT.

“Today is a very special day for ŠKODA AUTO: By launching the production of MEB battery systems, we are now manufacturing the absolute key component at the heart of the company. This means we have achieved another goal towards our successful transition to electromobility. I would like to thank the entire team who have worked very hard over recent months to set up this new production line. We have invested around 130 million euros and can now produce more than 250,000 MEB battery systems a year – for ŠKODA’s e-models and those of other Group brands. Our objective is clear: we want to produce E-components or E-vehicles at all three Czech plants by 2030.”

Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics

Christian Bleiel, Head of Component Production at ŠKODA AUTO, adds: “Our new MEB battery system assembly line sets standards in efficiency, automation, precision, cleanliness and digitalisation. When it comes to commissioning the complex plant technology, we are drawing on the expertise and experience we have gained over the decades and relying on our highly motivated and qualified staff. In collaboration with VW Group Components and our partner companies and suppliers, we are taking an important step in the transition from the combustion engine to electromobility by manufacturing battery systems. We will be reaching the next milestone at the end of 2023 when we bring the second expansion stage online, enabling us to produce more than 380,000 battery systems a year in total.”

The Czech car manufacturer’s headquarters is the only production site in Europe outside Germany where MEB battery systems are manufactured: The smallest version with eight modules has a capacity of 55 kWh and the medium version with nine modules stores 62 kWh. The largest battery with 12 modules boasts an 82-kWh capacity. In addition to the modules, each containing 24 cells, the components of an MEB battery system include a battery housing with integrated cooling system, a battery management system and the requisite electrical connections. ŠKODA AUTO also manufactures other e-components in Mladá Boleslav; high-voltage traction batteries that are used in the SUPERB iV, OCTAVIA iV and in plug-in hybrid vehicles of other Group brands have been produced here since autumn 2019.

The company’s transformation is gaining momentum on the back of the new production line. As a cornerstone of its NEXT LEVEL – ŠKODA STRATEGY 2030, the car manufacturer plans to produce e-vehicles or e-components at all three production sites by the end of this decade. The aim is to safeguard existing jobs over the long term and create new ones at the same time. By then, the company expects to have increased the share of all-electric car sales in Europe to between 50 and 70 per cent, depending on market developments. To achieve this, ŠKODA AUTO will continue to electrify its model portfolio over the coming years. By 2030, the range will include at least three more BEVs, all of which will be below the ENYAQ iV in terms of price and size.

The author of the SIMPLY CLEVER PODCAST took a tour of the new assembly line for traction batteries for electric vehicles in Hall M6 at the ŠKODA AUTO plant in Mladá Boleslav, Czechia. Christian Bleiel, Head of Component Production at ŠKODA AUTO, was his guide.

Article source: https://www.skoda-storyboard.com/en/press-releases/skoda-auto-launches-production-of-meb-battery-systems-at-mlada-boleslav-headquarters/

Managing Directors of Volkswagen Immobilien Meno Requardt and Hardy Brennecke, Vice-Chairman of the KOVO trade union Josef Zmrhal, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Purchasing Karsten Schnake, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics Michael Oeljeklaus and Head of Real Estate Asset and Travel management Radka Čihulková laid the foundation stone for the new ŠKODA AUTO headquarters complex, known as the Laurin & Klement Kampus. It will be built opposite the company’s current headquarters in Mladá Boleslav and is expected to be opened in the second half of 2023. The new building sets new standards in sustainability.

“With our new corporate headquarters, we are making a clear commitment to the Mladá Boleslav site and the founders of our company. The premises of the Laurin & Klement Kampus will soon create the optimal conditions for interdisciplinary cooperation and the generation of new creative Simply Clever ideas as an element of our brand. In constructing the new building, we are consistently guided by the ambitious sustainability targets we have set ourselves: among other things, a photovoltaic system with 330 panels and peak output of 100 kW will provide additional electricity.”

Karsten Schnake, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Purchasing

“We are delighted to bring the future of work to Škodians by creating these workplaces. The attractive office spaces are based on modern New Work concepts and offer customised solutions for various requirements to provide an optimal working environment. The state-of-the-art building technology and all other planning disciplines are consistently implemented according to the BIM (Building Information Modelling) planning method and sustainability aspects. For example, sustainable Cobiax hollow-core ceilings will be installed to intelligently decrease the CO₂ footprint as a result of using less concrete.”

Meno Requardt, Managing Director of Volkswagen Immobilien

The Czech car manufacturer’s future headquarters will cover a total area of 44,000 m². There will be space for up to 1,700 employees over five storeys in four wings. Eleven of the company’s offices and other rented spaces in Mladá Boleslav will be combined in the new building. Thus, the company will achieve operational savings by eliminating rental costs. In addition to office space, the new complex will house a 2,100 m² company restaurant for 400 diners and a conference area. An underground car park will also provide space for over 300 vehicles.

ŠKODA AUTO will be switching to biomass by 2025 to supply its new corporate headquarters with CO₂-neutral energy. Operated in partnership with the energy company ČEZ, a photovoltaic system consisting of 330 panels and a peak output of 100 kW will provide additional electricity from the roof of the building. At the same time, a number of structural and technical innovations will help to significantly reduce electricity consumption. Using LED technology and intelligent light sensors alone will halve the energy required compared to fluorescent tubes. Highly efficient ventilation systems will pre-cool the offices at night, while the air-conditioning systems will achieve a recuperation coefficient of 80 per cent by recovering energy. Roller shutters will effectively protect against solar radiation and thus reduce the cooling load of the building by 30 per cent.

Rainwater will be collected in a central collection point and treated using a 776 m³ filtration system. The water can then be used to irrigate the 4,070 m² of green space, which will provide a natural habitat for numerous insect and animal species across the 13,400 m² site.

The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) plans to award the new building a gold certificate. The certification system has gained recognition as a global benchmark for clearly defined standards in the field of sustainable construction and thus ensures international measurability and comparability.

Article source: https://www.skoda-storyboard.com/en/press-releases/skoda-auto-lays-foundation-stone-for-laurin-klement-kampus/

ŠKODA Motorsport is taking no break during the development process of the new generation ŠKODA FABIA Rally2. Currently, the technicians’ emphasis lies on perfecting the weight distribution. In this respect, the chassis derived from the current FABIA road car gives the engineers the chance to further improve the rally car’s handling characteristics. The new generation of the worldwide successful Rally2 vehicle especially benefits from the new FABIA’s longer wheel base.

The new generation Rally2 variant of the ŠKODA FABIA is based on the all-new road car model. With this evolution comes a new chassis as well. As the regulations allow only minor changes in this area, the rally car takes advantages of the road car’s modified dimensions: The series production ŠKODA FABIA features a 94 millimetres longer wheelbase and 48 millimetres more in width.

“The current ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo is the most successful car in its category, winning events all over the world again during the ongoing 2022 season. With the new generation Rally2 variant of the ŠKODA FABIA, we target to defend this position in the future. The completely new chassis is one of the key factors for even better competitiveness.”

Michal Hrabánek, Head of ŠKODA Motorsport

During the current test and development phase of the new generation ŠKODA FABIA Rally2, ŠKODA Motorsport puts a key emphasis on the car‘s weight balance. The longer wheelbase and overall larger dimensions give the engineers new options to position the car’s main components. To find an optimal weight distribution, ŠKODA Motorsport’s engineers developed a unique method to change the balance of the car during test sessions, to evaluate different weight distribution solutions and to analyse set-ups for all types of stage surface.

Jan Krasula, project leader of the development team at ŠKODA Motorsport, describes: “To make the most out this layout, we have started from scratch compared to the previous ŠKODA FABIA Rally2. For example, we were able to re-position the fuel tank. In the engine compartment, we took advantage of the larger space between the chassis rails. We have as well redesigned gearbox, clutch and flywheel to achieve less inertia and more efficiency. Also, the new generation ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 gets a bigger and more efficient intercooler, which would not have fit under the current car’s bonnet.”

Emil Lindholm, reigning Finnish rally champion, says after extensively testing the development car: “The new generation ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 is very well balanced. The longer wheelbase makes the car a little bit calmer, the rear is more stable.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, who at the wheel of a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo in 2021 won the WRC2 Drivers’ title of the FIA World Rally Championship and the FIA European Rally Championship overall, agrees: “The balance of the car is really, really nice. That gives me a lot of confidence to push over jumps.” And test driver colleague Kris Meeke, a winner on FIA World Rally Championship level as well, sums up his experience with the new generation ŠKODA FABIA Rally2: “Step by step, we are making improvements in every area.”

On the ŠKODA Storyboard, the drivers talk about their role during the development of a new rally car and look behind the scenes during a day of testing.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

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