Skoda is presenting a vehicle with CNG, petrol and electric drive for the first time. In addition to the further developed SUV design language, the Skoda VISION X also features a newly configured hybrid system. Skoda says the sustainable drive concept with a CNG/electric engine combination is designed to ensure spontaneous power delivery, increased agility and CO₂ emissions of only 89 g/km. The VISION X drives with front, rear or four-wheel drive as needed.

“At Skoda Auto, the developments and preparations for the mobility of tomorrow are in full swing,” says Christian Strube, skoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development. “With the Skoda VISION X hybrid study, we offer an outlook on the further development of our model range. CNG vehicles are clean and inexpensive. Moreover, with the hybrid, our customers can experience zero-emission driving.”

The internal combustion engine is a 1.5-litre TSI G-TEC four-cylinder turbocharged engine specifically designed for use with CNG (compressed natural gas). The CNG drive produces a maximum output of 96 kW (128 bhp) and a maximum torque of 184 ft lb. One CNG tank is located under the rear seat; the second behind the rear axle. The CNG unit drives the front axle; an electric motor drives the rear axle. This is activated as needed – to engage additional power when starting (boost effect) or to improve the traction on smooth surfaces and off-road. The capacity of the compact energy storage unit for the electric motor is sufficient to drive the concept study over a distance of up to two kilometres on electric power alone.

The VISION X is Skoda’s first all-wheel-drive vehicle without a cardan shaft. The benefits: lower weight automatically means less consumption. In addition, the electric motor only starts when needed. Two electric motors support the CNG drive. The four-wheel drive consists of the combustion engine equipped with one of the two electric motors – a belt-driven starter-generator (BSG) and the second electric motor on the rear axle, powered by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery system. Thanks to recuperation, the lithium-ion battery charges while driving: During braking and rolling, the VISION X converts kinetic energy into electrical energy and uses this energy later for driving. The maximum torque of 51.6 ft lb is available from standstill, intensifying the spontaneity when starting and the agility in short bursts of speed. The advantages of the rechargeable batteries include low weight, higher capacity and affordable price.

The study drives with front, rear or four-wheel drive as needed. The rear-wheel-drive brings 738 ft lb to the road, and the model has a range of up to 650 kilometres (about 400 miles) thanks to the additional petrol reserve tank.

The system performance of the two drive units enables the Skoda VISION X to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 9.3 seconds, with a top speed of 124 mph.