Skoda's new electric SUV just drove 936km without stopping to charge

Key highlights:

• A standard Skoda Peaq 90 drove 936km on a single charge, beating its 647km WLTP rating by 289km
• The run was independently verified by TÜV SÜD and used a production car with no modifications
• The seven-seat electric SUV is confirmed to arrive in Australia in 2027, joining the Enyaq and Elroq

Range anxiety is still one of the biggest hurdles for EV buyers, so when a carmaker says its new SUV can go nearly 300km further than advertised, it’s worth a closer look. Skoda’s new seven-seat electric flagship, the Peaq 90, has done exactly that. Two Skoda staffers drove a standard production model from the brand’s headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic, all the way to the seaside town of Zandvoort in the Netherlands, covering 936km without plugging in at once.

That’s a big number for any EV, let alone a large three-row SUV stretching almost 4.9 metres. The Skoda Peaq’s official WLTP range is 647km, meaning the real-world run beat the rating by 289km, or roughly 45 per cent.

Read more: Skoda’s Electric Fabia is coming – eventually

Careful driving helped maximise the Skoda Peaq 90’s range

The record attempt began at midday on August 25, with two Skoda employees taking turns behind the wheel as they travelled through the Czech Republic and Germany before reaching the Netherlands the following afternoon. Rather than following a typical motorway-heavy route, the drivers deliberately used secondary roads and maintained relatively low speeds to reduce energy consumption. They also stopped along the way to rest, eat and swap drivers.

Skoda Peaq model series head Marek Jež acknowledged that the conditions were not representative of everyday driving. The aim, according to Skoda, was to demonstrate what the SUV’s electric powertrain and battery technology could achieve when efficiency was prioritised.

That’s worth keeping in mind when looking at the 936km result. Real-world EV range can vary significantly depending on speed, weather, terrain, traffic, vehicle load and driving style. High-speed motorway driving, in particular, generally uses considerably more energy than steady driving at lower speeds. Still, the result offers an interesting demonstration of just how much range can be extracted from a large electric SUV under the right conditions.

What powers the Skoda Peaq 90?

The record-setting vehicle was a standard-production Skoda Peaq 90 fitted with a 91kWh battery pack, of which 86kWh is usable. Power comes from a 210kW electric motor mounted on the rear axle, making the Peaq 90 rear-wheel drive. The SUV used 19-inch wheels and standard low-rolling-resistance tyres for the record run.

Aerodynamics also played a role. Skoda claims the Peaq has a drag coefficient of 0.249Cd, which is particularly significant for a large, seven-seat SUV. A more aerodynamic body requires less energy to push through the air, especially as speeds increase. The Peaq range will also include a 60 variant with a 63kWh battery and 150kW rear-mounted motor. Above the rear-wheel-drive Peaq 90 sits the Peaq 90x, which adds a second electric motor and all-wheel drive, with combined outputs of 220kW.

Skoda Peaq 90 confirmed for Australia in 2027

The Skoda Peaq has already been confirmed for Australia, with the brand’s new electric flagship due to arrive locally in 2027. Australian pricing and final specifications have not yet been announced, so it remains unclear which battery and drivetrain options will be offered here.

When it arrives, the seven-seat Peaq will sit above Skoda’s Enyaq and Elroq electric SUVs, giving Australian buyers another option in the growing large electric SUV segment. Skoda says it has already received more than 10,000 orders for the Peaq in Europe as deliveries begin there.

The 936km journey does not mean Australian buyers should expect to regularly drive that far on a charge. But with the Peaq already claiming a healthy 647km of WLTP range in Peaq 90 form, the record attempt shows that careful driving and efficient engineering can make a substantial difference to how far a large electric SUV can travel between charges.