The all-new Skoda Octavia G-Tec rolls off the production line of the company’s main facility in Mlada Boleslav for the first time. The car will go on sale in Czech market this June. The first Octavia with natural gas drive is designed and engineered in estate and hatchback body styles and the brand’s range of natural gas models grows to three. The CNG variant of Citigo has had a successful run in European markets since 2012.
In parallel with the start of Octavia G-Tec production, the automaker has also inaugurated a new CNG testing plant and filling station symbolizing an investment of €5 million. This plant serves to carry out mandatory safety testing of CNG engines and to offer an initial fill of CNG fuel tanks. After the launch in June, the Octavia G-Tec and Octavia Combi G-Tec will be gradually rolled out in 14 other nations across Europe including Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Norway, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, France, Finland, Germany, Denmark and Belgium.
Motivation for the all-new Skoda Octavia G-Tec estate and hatchback comes from a 1.4 liter TSI turbocharged powerplant, which is good for producing 110 horsepower. It’s engineered as a bivalent unit to run on both petrol and CNG. The Green Tec package is included as standard equipment and provides brake energy recuperation and start-stop system. The total maximum volume of both CNG fuel tanks is 97 litres, or 15 kg of natural gas compressed to a pressure of 200 bar. The tanks are mounted in a special frame located beneath the boot floor. The luggage compartment of Octavia G-TEC offers 460 litres, in case of Octavia Combi G-TEC it is 480 liters.
Customers may choose from a total of 12 GreenLine and 51 Green tec versions. The new Octavia GreenLine sets new standards in the compact segment with low CO2 emissions of just 85 g/km. Skoda Auto is one of the longest-established vehicle production organizations in the world. Since 1895, the Czech headquarters in Mlada Boleslav has seen the production firstly of bicycles and then, shortly afterwards cars and motorbikes.
The brand currently has seven passenger car models: Fabia, Citigo, Rapid, Roomster/Praktik, Yeti, Superb and Octavia. It delivered around 920,800 vehicles to customers worldwide last year.