Electric Skoda estate concept to channel spirit of Mk1 Octavia

Skoda also says the "steeply raked" windscreen and "gently sloping roofline" are "design cues that have characterised Skoda's most successful estate models".

The Superb and Octavia estates are among Skoda's best-selling global models, with the Octavia Combi, particularly, ranking as its top seller in certain markets.

As a result, Skoda "is committed to continuing the estate bodywork legacy into the future," said the company.

Exterior designer Jounggeen Kim shaped the Vision O's silhouette and said his task was "to apply the Modern Solid language to an estate car". 

He designed the concept to be an "all-in-one" proposition and said: "This car is built to do it all. I see Skoda as a family-oriented brand – practical, reliable and trustworthy. I aimed to reflect those qualities through the new Modern Solid design language.”

Kim added that while the Vision O will be a future-looking concept that adheres to Skoda's current design principles, he took inspiration from past models such as the Yeti and Roomster.

Skoda had originally planned to launch an electric estate version of the Octavia based on the Volkswagen Group’s current MEB electric architecture. However, Zellmer said it will instead be underpinned by the VW Group's upcoming SSP architecture because it will offer “more performance and be more cost-efficient”.

He said: “Wait and see until September, and then we will show you the full potential and technical package that we envision. It will be a concept car, so this is also a test bed for us to see what the resonance from the media, from our dealers and from our potential customers is.”

The production version of the electric Octavia estate is due by the end of the decade at a similar time to the related Volkswagen ID Golf, which will also be based on the SSP platform. It is expected to lead the next generation of electric Skodas and mark the point where its combustion-engined and all-electric ranges start to converge.

To date, Skoda’s electric vehicles have existed in a parallel line-up as the brand prioritises consumer choice and will continue to do so. This suggests the hybridised combustion-engined Octavia estate will continue to be sold as Skoda gradually introduces battery-electric vehicles into its more familiar nameplates.

Before the electric Octavia, two more Skoda EVs are due. The Epiq, a sibling to the Volkswagen ID 2 and Cupra Raval, will be launched next year as the Skoda's entry-level electric car. The brand will also put its previous Vision 7S concept car into production in 2026 as an electric equivalent of the Kodiaq. This is likely to be Skoda’s most expensive car yet, but Zellmer said it will retain its core principles of “design functionality and value for money”.