Škoda Auto gears up to produce the next-generation Kodiaq

As one of the new Škoda models to debut this year, the second-generation Kodiaq is already in the starting blocks. As Škoda will continue to manufacture its successful SUV in Kvasiny, the Czech car manufacturer has already begun the comprehensive adaptation of the production line. The first pilot production vehicles are already being produced, while series production will commence next year.

Michael Oeljeklaus, Škoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics, says: “The preparations for the production of our upcoming second-generation Kodiaq are already in full swing. As is typical for Škoda, we are once again using existing infrastructure while cleverly integrating new technologies. However, comprehensively adapting and further future-proofing an assembly line that remains in operation is a highly demanding task both technically and logistically. At the same time, we have also successfully redistributed and optimised our model production and were thus able to free up additional capacity.”

The new Kodiaq will also be available as a plug-in hybrid – preparations are already in full swing

As with its predecessor, the new model will be manufactured at the Kvasiny plant on the same production line as the Karoq, Superb and Superb iV. The new-generation Superb will start rolling off the production line in Bratislava in early 2024, thus freeing up capacity for some 150,000 additional units of the popular Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs annually.

The car manufacturer is investing around 12 million euros in converting the production line to also take account of future requirements, with the line already being prepared to produce the Kodiaq iV with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The investments involve the integration of existing technologies such as manipulators, chassis assembly and conveyors, and the modification of robots for window-glue application. Up to 410 second-generation Kodiaqs should then roll off the assembly line every day.

Kodiaq as a trailblazer for the Škoda SUV campaign

Škoda Auto will present the second generation of its largest SUV, the Kodiaq, this autumn, with the market launch set to follow in 2024. The model will be available with modern and efficient petrol and diesel engines, as a plug-in hybrid and - for the first time - a mild hybrid. In terms of safety, technology and versatility, the car manufacturer is taking its largest SUV to a new level. The new Kodiaq will have all the prerequisites to build on its predecessor’s success story.

Since its global premiere on 1 September 2016, Škoda has produced over 800,000 Kodiaqs at its plants in the Czech Republic, Ukraine, China, India and – until early 2022 - also in Russia. The large SUV was the trailblazer for the Czech car manufacturer’s successful SUV campaign. Optionally available as a seven-seater and offering a spacious interior, the Kodiaq introduced Škoda’s fascinating crystalline design language to the segment. The large SUV has impressed both customers and journalists from international trade magazines - more than 40 international awards testify to its outstanding qualities and extraordinary popularity across global markets.

*Article Source http://www.skodamedia.com/