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The Škoda Academy has just celebrated its tenth anniversary. A multi-faceted program highlighted the most important milestones as well as the future topics of the Škoda Academy and their strategic importance for the Czech car manufacturer. The empowerment of employees and pupils is crucial to successfully shape the path of Škoda Auto within this era of transformation. Vocational training has a long tradition at Škoda Auto, dating back to 1927.

“We are transforming Škoda Auto and transitioning towards e-mobility and digitisation. To successfully navigate this change, we are creating the conditions to upskill our employees and prepare them for the future requirements of our industry. In this context, lifelong learning and empowering our employees are top priorities for us. We can look back on an almost 100-year tradition of training and education at Škoda Auto, starting with our first apprentices in 1927. Today, with its innovative and strategic approach to learning, the Škoda Academy plays a key role in enabling our employees to develop new skills and contributes towards future-proofing Škoda Auto and enhancing our competitiveness in a radically changing world.“

Maren Gräf, Škoda Auto Board Member for People & Culture

Maren Kabowski, Head of Škoda Academy, adds: “The range of courses of Škoda Academy not only aims to pass on technical knowledge but also to integrate professional and social skills. This anniversary gives us the opportunity to look back on the amazing results of the past decade and express our sincere thanks to all partners for our fruitful collaboration. At the same time, as we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we are outlining our vision of the education of the future and continuing to drive transformation. The Škoda Academy will make a significant contribution to the successful future of our company and thus also our regions.”

Building up a strong educational community
In 2013, the education and training of employees and pupils was merged under the Škoda Academy roof. It was established as part of the Volkswagen Group Academy strategy. Within this framework, the role of the Škoda Academy is defined, in particular, by the following topics: product, digitalization, mindset culture, factory and working methods.

The Škoda Academy has built up an exceptional educational community within and outside the Volkswagen Group, from which it now benefits to respond quickly and purposefully to changes.

People empowerment at Škoda Auto
As a rapidly transforming company focused on digitalization and future technologies, Škoda Auto has made learning an integral part of its corporate strategy. The company considers the right skills and employee empowerment to be a major key to successful transformation. The Škoda Academy therefore sees its task as offering training courses that are not only relevant in terms of content, but that also motivate employees to learn independently and enable them to develop continuously.

With “Degreed“, the Škoda Academy now offers a suitable digital learning ecosystem with re-skilling and upskilling, development paths and mindset measures. This ecosystem is itself in a constant process of transformation to keep pace with the rapidly changing environment in the automotive industry and social realities. It creates innovative workspaces and changes the paradigm of learning.

Škoda Auto has a long tradition of education
The Czech car manufacturer has a long track record of investing heavily in training and further education. It was in 1927 that the Škoda vocational school in Mladá Boleslav opened its doors to the first 58 students. Since then, more than 25,000 people have graduated from the school. Today, the vocational school forms part of the Škoda Academy, where almost 820 aspiring automotive specialists across 19 disciplines are preparing for their future roles. Nearly one hundred of them are women. The company has already upskilled more than 23,000 employees to prepare them for the demands of e-mobility and secure jobs at the site.

Ten years of forward-looking topics
During the anniversary celebrations, the attendees had the opportunity to participate in interactive, innovative workshops to explore the development of educational topics such as artificial intelligence, 3D printing, automation, e-mobility, and various projects on human skills.

As part of the anniversary event, students from the Škoda vocational school in Mladá Boleslav released a video offering a preview of the next Apprentice Car.

The Apprentice Car is the Škoda Academy’s flagship project, which involves vocational school students transforming a vehicle from Škoda’s portfolio into their very own dream car in one academic year. The apprentices are solely responsible for realizing the concept – from the first sketch to the finished unique vehicle. They receive support from many Škoda Auto departments, including Škoda Design and Technical Development.

Commitment to people empowerment
On the occasion of the anniversary, Klaus Zellmer, Chairman of the Board of Škoda Auto, Maren Gräf, Member of the Board for People and Culture and Jaroslav Povšík, Chairman of the KOVO trade union, signed a memorandum to promote and support the Škoda Academy. The company is thus committed to investing intensively in the training and development of its employees to successfully master the transformation to e-mobility and digitalization.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

Škoda Auto is making its all-electric Enyaq iV family even more affordable. The new Škoda Enyaq iV 50 is a modern battery-electric vehicle based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electrification Platform (MEB) with an entry price of less than 40,000 euros. It offers an electric motor with an output of 109 kW, an ample range of up to 365 kilometres on the WLTP cycle and plenty of room for an entire family. The Enyaq iV 50 comes with 19-inch bi-color alloy wheels, a 13” navigation system and a rear-view camera as standard.

„With the Enyaq iV 50, we are making the Enyaq family’s entry level even more affordable. For less than 40,000 euros, our customers get a modern battery-electric vehicle that offers an ample range for everyday driving, plenty of space for the entire family and a comprehensive equipment.“

Martin Jahn, Škoda Auto Board Member for Sales and Marketing

Design Selection Loft and good standard equipment
The Škoda Enyaq iV 50 comes with rear-wheel drive and a 109 kW electric motor on the rear axle. A 55 kWh high-voltage battery (net 52 kWh) enables a maximum range of up to 365 kilometres on the WLTP cycle. At DC fast-charging stations, the battery can be replenished from 10 to 80 percent of its capacity in 36 minutes, with a maximum charging power of 110 kW. The Enyaq iV 50 comes with 19 inch Regulus alloys and is equipped with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. Its interior features the Design Selection Loft. A central 13-inch touchscreen display and the navigation function for the infotainment system are included as standard, as is one of Škoda’s famous Simply Clever features: the iconic umbrella in the driver’s door. The Škoda Enyaq iV 50 will be available in selected European markets, for example, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. At the same time, Škoda Auto will be offering incentives to promote e-mobility in other markets, for example, special leasing and financing.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

The new infotainment app ‘Powerpass Map’ enhances the Škoda iV ecosystem. Available for Enyaq iV family vehicles, the infotainment app shows public charging points along with detailed information about them on the central infotainment display. Users can also rate charging points and post comments, which are displayed as recent ratings and feedback. The Powerpass Map can now be downloaded free of charge from the In-car Shop in any Enyaq iV or Enyaq Coupé iV running the ME3.0 or newer vehicle software.

Charging points are shown on a map on the central display
The Powerpass Map allows Škoda Enyaq iV or Enyaq Coupé iV drivers to intuitively access comprehensive, up-to-date information on public charging points for electric cars such as operating hours, the number of charging points currently available, maximum charging power and prices. The map displays available charging points within and outside the Powerpass network, which includes over 500,000 charging points across Europe. Charging stations within the Powerpass network are easily identifiable thanks to a special symbol on the map. In addition, charging point searches can be filtered according to the driver’s requirements. The in-car app is available to download free of charge from the In-car Shop, provided the vehicle is running the ME3.0 software. Additionally, users can search for and display charging points in the MyŠkoda or Powerpass mobile apps.

Infrastructure information and rating charging points
For the first time, the infotainment app also features a real-time rating and feedback function; users can rate charging points with one to five stars and leave comments for other users. In addition, drivers can see what facilities there are nearby, such as shops and restaurants. Future updates will bring even more features to the infotainment app, allowing users to manage their Powerpass account, select tariffs and review their charging history. They will also be able to use Powerpass Map start the charging process from there.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

Škoda Auto has provided a first glimpse of the successors to its Superb flagship model (hatchback and Combi estate versions) and its top SUV, the Kodiaq. As part of its “Let’s Explore” event, the Czech car manufacturer has released the first official silhouette images of the new-generation vehicles. The Superb and Kodiaq will be among the brand’s highlights of the year, marked by separate world premieres this autumn. Both cars will offer modern, efficient petrol and diesel engines, as well as plug-in and mild hybrid options.

„The Superb and the Kodiaq are two important cornerstones of the Škoda model range, which is why it’s so special for us to introduce the new generations of both model series this autumn. The Superb is the flagship of our ICE portfolio and will continue to set standards in terms of comfort and space in its fourth generation, in both hatchback and Combi estate formats. The second-generation Kodiaq will take safety, technology and versatility to the next level. We continue to offer the best of both worlds and meet our customers’ needs, so both models will also be offered with plug-in and mild hybrid options.“

Klaus Zellmer, Škoda Auto CEO

New features, improved technologies and redesigned interiors
Autumn 2023 will see two important Škoda Auto world premieres, with the Czech brand presenting the fourth generation of its Superb flagship model as well as the second generation of its Kodiaq SUV. Škoda has published official silhouette images as part of its “Let’s Explore” event to provide a first glimpse of the new vehicles. In addition to a new exterior, each model comes with new features, improved technology and a completely redesigned interior. The fourth-generation Superb will once again be available both as a hatchback and as a supremely spacious Combi estate. The new generation of the flagship model will be manufactured at the Volkswagen Group plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. The new generation of the Kodiaq will be built at the Škoda plant in Kvasiny, Czech Republic, also the home of its predecessor.

Two success stories
The Superb and the Kodiaq are Škoda’s top hatchback/Combi estate and SUV models respectively, and both have been outstandingly successful. The name ‘Superb’ was previously used back in the 1930s for Škoda’s range-topping luxury car. Almost 137,000 first modern-generation Superbs were sold between 2001 and 2008, and it was the first Škoda model to introduce high tech features such as bi-xenon headlights, the automatic Tiptronic transmission and the Coming Home function. Right from the start, the first-generation Superb collected numerous prestigious awards, including ‘Best Import Car’ from the German Auto Bild car magazine. The second generation appeared in 2008 and was the first to offer customers the choice of all-wheel drive. The Superb Combi estate version, introduced in 2009, sparked even greater demand. In total, the second-generation Superb recorded 618,000 deliveries to customers. The third generation, introduced in February 2015, offered increased space for passengers and luggage in both body styles. It was also more economical, had lower emissions, and added innovative assistance systems for enhanced safety. The flagship was again updated in 2019, with the Superb iV variant becoming the first Škoda plug-in hybrid model. So far, over 777,000 units of the third generation Superb have been delivered to customers.

The Kodiaq, launched in 2016 to spearhead Škoda’s successful SUV campaign, has already sold more than 740,000 units. Optionally available with seven seats, it introduced Škoda’s exciting, crystalline design language to the SUV segment. The sporty Kodiaq RS followed in 2018, while the entire model range was updated in 2021. More than 40 international awards are visible proof of the large Škoda SUV’s outstanding qualities and extraordinary popularity.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

90 years ago, in April 1933, Škoda came up with the perfect answer to the world economic crisis – the progressive people’s car 420. For the first time, it used a concept with a backbone chassis frame and independent wheel suspension, which was ahead of its time and remained competitive for almost half a century thanks to continuous innovations. The lightweight and rigid “steel backbone” of the modular construction has proven itself in two- to eight-cylinder Škoda cars with 4×2, 4×4 and 6×4 drive. These included the legendary Popular, Rapid, Superb, Octavia and Felicia models. Until 1980, proven Czech chassis were used for the production of Turkish Škoda 1202 Kamyonet pick-ups.

A trump against the crisis
Škoda’s journey to the position of the largest Czech car manufacturer and exporter, which it has been from 1936 to the present day, began as early as April 1929. The successful brand with a tradition since 1895 started efficient belt production in a modern factory in Mladá Boleslav. Initially, models of the classic concept with a ribbed chassis frame and rigid axles rolled off the line; from the spring of 1930, the four-meter-long Skoda 422, whose complete chassis weighed around 730 kg, formed the basis of the range.

A year later, after an eight-year working stay abroad, the experienced designer Ing. Josef Zubatý returned to Czechoslovakia. From the summer of 1932 he worked in the Prague office of Škoda on a completely new concept of cars with a longitudinal spine chassis frame. Originally, it was a beam of rectangular cross-section. At the front, the frame was forked to accommodate the engine flexibly. The rear-driven semi-axles were highly resistant to the stresses of gravitational forces, eliminating the weakness of some contemporary competitors. At the front, a rigid axle was used. First prototype went into service in September 1932, and production of Škoda 420s reached customers in April 1933. It was then that the world economic crisis reached its bottom in Czechoslovakia.

The foundation of the extended family
The ingenious backbone frame concept brought several significant benefits to customers. The 420 weighed about 200 kg less than its conventional predecessor, the Škoda 422, including bodywork only about 730 kg. A more durable chassis did reduce stresses on the bodywork. The independently suspended rear wheels followed the road surface better than the rigid axle, thus increasing the driving comfort noticeably. In April 1934 sales of the successor, the legendary Škoda Popular, started. The rectangular beam finally gave way to a tubular spine protecting the drive shaft. All four wheels already have independent suspension. The “steel backbone” was inherently very variable, and so during the 1930s alone, it was used in various designs on cars ranging in wheelbase from the 2.30m of the first Popular to the 3.40m of the eight-cylinder Superb 4000, not to mention the military special Škoda 903 with a 6×4 drive configuration and a wheelbase of 2470+920mm.

The progressive concept of the chassis has proven itself even in the most demanding operating conditions, including the journey of the Škoda Rapid car around the world (1936) and racing specials. From 1952, these chassis carried the new all-metal Škoda 1200 Sedan body, and seven years later the legendary Škoda Octavia and Felicia models began their careers. The last Czech representative of this successful extended family was the Škoda 1202 (1961-1973). But the modified chassis of the Octavia Super and 1202 also became the basis for several localized products, be it the New Zealand Trekka (1966-1972), the Pakistani Skopak (1970-1971), or the Turkish Škoda 1202 Kamyonet pick-up (1971-1980). Since 1964, Škoda’s large-scale production has been dominated by self-supporting bodies without a backbone chassis.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

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