Skoda Showcases New Identity And Design Language With The Vision 7S Concept

The Czech automotive brand has got a new font, a 2D logo and a more rugged design language for the future

• Skoda embraces the upcoming era of e-mobility with a new wordmark logo and flattened winged-arrow.

• Showcases new ‘Modern Solid’ design language of upcoming EVs with the Vision 7S concept.

• Vision 7S gets a modern interpretation of Skoda front fascia, rugged bumper designs, and T-shaped lighting.

• New cabin design language features a child seat on top of the central console and rotating 14.4-inch touchscreen.

• Skoda to launch three new EVs by 2026 - 7-seater SUV, compact SUV and a small one.

It was only a matter of time before Skoda underwent an identity refresh for the upcoming era of electrified mobility and this is it. The Czech carmaker has debuted its new logo and future design language with the Vision 7S concept study.

Also read: Volkswagen Reveals New Logo & Branding At Frankfurt Motor Show 2019

What’s the new Skoda identity?

Like many brands, Skoda has decided to flatten its 3D-logo into a 2D design that would be better suited for the digital space. It is still immediately recognisable as the Skoda winged arrow. But the bigger change comes in the new font for the Skoda wordmark. It no longer features the caron above the ‘S’ but the so-called háček is now integrated into the styling of the first letter. The wordmark is to be used more extensively than the 2D logo.

Even before getting into electrification, green has been part of Skoda’s brand identity. Now, it will be using two shades - emerald and electric green - to represent its sustainable vision for e-mobility.

New design language explored

The Vision 7S concept showcases Skoda’s new design language, titled ‘Modern Solid’. Looking at the front and rear bumpers which seem to resemble the reinforced chin protection in a warrior’s helmet, the naming seems apt. The Vision 7S looks quite rugged with its chunky cladding elements that go all the way around, but also modern with its sleek T-shaped headlights and taillights. 

Since EVs don’t need grilles, Skoda has found a new way to carry forward its iconic design detail in the form of a black element called the Tech-Deck that houses the various sensors for the driver assist systems onboard. In profile, the Vision 7S has simple yet sharp with the pillars and the roofline. It still has sporty details such as the sharp creases in the bonnet and the integrated roof spoiler. Like most future-facing EV concepts, it has cameras in place of ORVMs for better aerodynamic efficiency.

Here’s what future Skoda cabins could look like

The interior of the Vision 7S concept also features a healthy use of sustainable materials. It also gets a new design language for the three-row cabin. The dashboard extends away from the driver which makes it feel more spacious while the star attraction is the 14.6-inch rotating touchscreen display in the centre for the infotainment and vehicle management systems. As a concept, the Vision 7S sports an oblong/rectangular steering wheel and a sleek 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster. There are no visible AC vents, instead they are discretely housed into the dash to smoothly diffuse cooled or heated air.

The concept SUV features a floating central console held up by support pillars positioned between the seats. At the front, it houses various touch controls but thankfully Skoda has stuck with plenty of physical controls too. The most striking elements are the three rotary dials with integrated displays. The outer dials control the dual-zone climate control while the central dial helps navigate the infotainment screen. Furthermore, there is another array of tactile controls behind the dials - a toggle switch for drive/relax modes, a toggle switch for central locking, and a scroll wheel for volume adjustment. Finally, behind all these physical controls is a magnetic wireless charging dock for your phones. There are various other magnetic pads around the cabin that can be used to stow purpose-built items.

While the name Vision 7S implies that it is a seven-seater, Skoda has designed it as more of a 6+1 seater. There are captain seats in the middle row and two foldable seats in the back ideal for young children. The seventh “seat” is a dedicated child seat integrated into the floating centre console, a bit behind the front two seats. It is fitted facing against the direction of travel, facing the middle row, and Skoda says the child seat is optimally positioned for maximum safety. While innovative and interesting, this design feature is unlikely to make it to a production-spec vehicle anytime soon.

Technical details of the Vision 7S

Skoda has built this three-row electric SUV concept on the VW Group’s MEB platform that fits an 89kWh battery pack. This would be sufficient for a range of more than 600km in the WLTP test cycle and it has a fast-charge capacity of up to 200kW which should replete the battery from around 10 to 80 percent in approximately 30 minutes.

The 7S is a fairly large SUV measuring 5016mm in length with a wheelbase of 3075mm. It also has decent ground clearance at 242mm on its 22-inch wheels.

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When will it be launched?

Well, the Vision 7S concept itself is not meant for production but it will surely be the basis for Skoda’s upcoming flagship electric SUV. Since it showcases Skoda’s new design language, we expect many elements such as the Tech-Deck and the new lighting elements to be carried through to the production model. Skoda has confirmed that it plans to launch three new EVs by 2026 - small EV, compact SUV and a seven-seater SUV.

Currently, its only EV offering is the Enyaq iV in standard and coupe form. Skoda stated that it has delivered over 70,000 units of its electric SUV worldwide and order books are still full as the carmaker is trying to stay ahead of the global supply shortages. We expect Skoda to introduce the Enyaq iV in India as a CBU-import model as well.