8:55 am, April 22, 2022
Skoda has axed the small-battery ’60’ model from its Enyaq range, citing high demand and component shortage issues.
Its UK Enyaq brochure and online configurator have been updated to reflect the move.
As a result, the all-electric SUV is now only available with the larger 77kWh battery, with prices kicking off from £40,970 for the Enyaq 80 and £47,875 for the four-wheel-drive Enyaq 80x SportLine model.
The Enyaq 60 used a 58kWh battery giving a range of 256 miles. Priced from £34,510, it was eligible for the government’s plug-in car grant for a short period of time, until the threshold for the £1,500 cash saving was lowered to a maximum of £32,000 in December 2021.
A Skoda UK spokesperson said the removal of the cheaper 60 model was an interim measure.
‘Due to high customer demand and component supply challenges, we have temporarily taken the 60 off sale whilst we manage order take,’ the spokesperson told Car Dealer Magazine.
They added: ‘The 80 is still on sale and [there are] no plans currently to take it off.’
Like many carmakers, Skoda has been hit by a double whammy of component shortages and rocketing demand for electric cars.
Electric car website Electrifying.com recently revealed there were large order books for the Enyaq, with the typical UK customer now having to wait 18 months for delivery.
Car manufacturers have also had to switch their focus to models that generate higher profits and ditch slower-selling models that make less profit.
Ford has dropped the three-door version of its popular Fiesta supermini in order to not only trim down its model range but also clear a backlog of orders.
It means the Fiesta ST hot hatch will only be available as a five-door once the three-door stops production this summer.
The news comes as Cox Automotive stated earlier this week that it expects new and used car sales may never return to pre-pandemic levels because of current headwinds battering the automotive market.
The company downgraded its full-year new car sales forecast, citing a 31m global shortfall.
