► Skoda Element concept
► EV beach buggy with smart TV
► Built by Skoda Academy students
Those pesky Skoda Academy students have been at it again. The Element you see here is the latest in a line of madcap concepts from Skoda’s Vocational School in Mladá Boleslav, which includes the Fabia-based Funstar pick-up.
Based on the Citigo platform, the Element is an electric beach buggy concept car finished in Dragon Skin yellow pearlescent paint. To help it withstand the dunes of Bondi Beach the ride height has been raised and all-terrain tyres have been fitted to the 16-inch ‘Scorpius’ alloy wheels.
The doors have been removed and replaced with hard-wearing metal sills and there’s only space for two. However, those two passengers are treated to leather and Alcantara bucket seats and sat-nav.
To fit the beach bum lifestyle, there’s a 400-watt stereo system to blast your summer tunes, a cool box and you can even watch movies from the smart TV that’s hidden behind the seats. To top it all off, the students fitted a solar panel and separate battery to keep all of the electronic gizmos powered.
It’s powered by a 60kW (80bhp) electric motor that’s capable of launching the Element up to 62mph in 13 seconds and on to a top speed of 80mph. Skoda predicts the EV range could reach up to 80 miles.
Given its electric powertrain and raised ride height, could the Element secretly be a precursor to an expansion of the Citigo range? We may well see an e-Citigo or even a jacked-up Citigo Scout in the future, if this is anything to go by.
What will Skoda’s Academy think of next? We’re torn between an Octavia vRS monster truck or an amphibious Superb…
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