European brand to use groundbreaking Chinese hybrid tech to drive sales? Skoda may team up with MG owner SAIC for 1500km-plus driving range PHEVs to battle MG HS, BYD Seal 07 and even future Toyota Corolla and Camry plug-in hybrids: Report

Reports from China suggest Czech brand Skoda may lean on its joint venture partner for advanced plug-in hybrid technology with more than 1500km driving range. 

In China, Skoda sells its models through a joint venture with auto giant SAIC (owner of MG Motor). It currently offers Superb, Octavia, Karoq, Kodiaq and the coupe-styled Kodiaq GT with various engines. 

Skoda’s fortunes are faltering in China, though, with sales slipping from 341,000 in 2018 to just 7100 cars so far this year, according to Car News China. Those slipping sales saw Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer consider withdrawing from China in late 2022. 

Whether SAIC’s latest plug-in hybrid system would save the brand’s sales in China is not clear. The figures are pretty strong, though. 

The most recently-developed dual motor hybrid (DMH) system features in the Roewe D5X and is likely to launch next year in Australia wearing MG HS badging. Its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder is allied with a 153kW electric motor. 

Though SAIC does not quote combined outputs, a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.9 seconds suggests in excess of 190kW. Official ratings are yet to be confirmed but testing in China revealed a combined 3.8L/100km for a total combined driving range of 1621km. 

Skoda and SAIC's Chinese website only shows previous-gen Superb and Kodiaq models with petrol engines, with no plug-in hybrids available.

Skoda sells plug-in hybrid versions of its new Superb and Kodiaq in Europe with Volkswagen group powertrains. The 1.5-litre turbo petrol based set-up provides 150kW and 100km of electric-only range from a 25.7kWh battery pack. It is capable of fast charging at 50kW (DC). 

Skoda doesn’t quote a combined total range but that figure is all the rage in China and the DX5-sized Kodiaq SUV carries a ridiculously low 0.5L/100km combined WLTP consumption rating.

There has been no official announcement on the matter, but if Skoda were to use SAIC technology in China it could permeate further, including into Europe. 

Though it sounds far-fetched, China’s plug-in hybrid and electric technology is beginning to entice other carmakers. Even Toyota, the hybrid king, is looking to China with reports indicating that BYD’s long-range plug-in hybrid tech may feature in next-gen models.

BYD also supplies batteries for many OEMs, including Tesla, Kia and others in select markets.