More and more often in our contributions we deal with emissions, electromobility or alternative drives. This topic, in connection with the stricter requirements for clean operation, will become more important every year, carmakers are already preparing for the transition to clean drives on a large scale and are including completely new alternatives.
Škoda believes that the future lies in diversification, and therefore gives a chance not only with electric cars, but also with hybrids and natural gas. In Mladá Boleslav, they are aware that the electric car still has some limits and may not be suitable for every customer. The new Octavia therefore comes with the largest selection of eco-friendly drives in its class, which we will look at in detail in this article.
Škoda Octavia drives:
- Classic (petrol, diesel)
- Mild hybrid
- Plug-in hybrid
- Natural gas
Mild hybrid (e-TEC)
Each petrol Octavia in combination with an automatic transmission gets a mild-hybrid drive. In this case, driving on clean electricity is not possible because there is only a small 0.6 kWh battery under the front passenger seat. In combination with the electric motor, it provides the car with assistance for up to 50 Nm of extra torque when starting for ten seconds. It is a kind of electric kick, thanks to which you can use the full potential of the hybrid system for a short time. Another advantage is the possibility of sailing on a straight line or when driving downhill, when the electronics temporarily shut down the internal combustion engine and helps to save fuel.
The manufacturer states that the total fuel savings are 0.5 l / 100 km, but some colleagues have managed to measure up to 1.5 liters compared to the non-hybrid Octavia. However, we see a major benefit in the different operation of the start-stop system by means of a starter-generator, which is connected to the crankshaft via a splined belt. The result is a quick switch-on and switch-off of the combustion engine without any accompanying vibrations.
The use of a mild hybrid is thus no different from conventional drives. The driver does not have to deal with charging and uses the vehicle as standard. The biggest advantages can be the comfort of operation and slightly lower fuel consumption. This type of drive is really suitable for everyone.
- Advantages: price, better traction, comfortable operation and fast start-stop
- Disadvantages: Minimal financial savings
Plug-in hybrid (iV)
This is the first Octavia in history that can run on clean electricity. A standard petrol tank will last at least 550 kilometers, but in the city you will primarily want to use electric propulsion with a real range of up to 60 kilometers. You will switch to electricity with the Octavia more kilometers than in competing models from Peugeot or Kie.
You can recognize the plug-in hybrid from the outside by the additional tank lid on the left front fender. Behind the cover is a charging connector for the charger, which has a maximum output of 3.6 kW. Ideally, you can fill the battery in as little as 2.5 hours, when using a classic home socket, count on four hours. After taking into account the fact that most owners of the Octavia hybrid plug-in will still charge overnight in a home garage, we can’t blame the slower charging of the Škoda. This method of home charging is also more gentle on the battery and significantly extends the life of battery cells in the long run. And last but not least, charging with the classic night stream will be much cheaper.
The plug-in hybrid is ideal for those who move around the city during the working week (commuting, shopping) and do business for longer distances for a family trip or vacation. With responsible charging in the home garage, you can reduce fuel costs by more than 80%, converting Octavia can be even cheaper than a bus ticket.
The Škoda Octavia iV is an excellent alternative if you want to use the car in the city as an electric car and outside it as a classic burner without any restrictions.
- Advantages: Cheap urban traffic (EV), better dynamics, zero operating emissions
- Disadvantages: Need to charge (garage), higher weight, need to charge
Natural gas (g-TEC)
You will not easily find CNG propulsion in the offer of competing manufacturers. In our opinion, this is one of the most interesting ecological alternatives, especially for the possibility of fast refueling of natural gas, which will last the Octavia g-TEC for up to 500 kilometers, while for another 140 kilometers you can use a reserve tank for conventional gasoline. Thanks to the factory reconstruction, you are also sure that everything will work as it should.
The drive is taken care of by the 1.5 TSI combustion engine (96 kW), which is specially adapted for the combustion of petrol and natural gas, while the switching between the individual fuels is handled automatically by the electronics. Operating costs are almost half lower than the conventional petrol model and produce less harmful greenhouse gases, especially sulfur oxides (-99%), nitrogen oxides (-75%), carbon oxides (-50%) and particulate matter (-86 %). And what is the most interesting? From the point of view of ecological production of fuel from biomass, the operation of cars on natural gas is sustainable in the long run.
The only restriction concerns the availability of service stations offering natural gas (CNG). While in the neighboring Czech Republic it is one of the best-selling versions of the Octavia, in Slovakia a small number of filling stations discourage potential customers. However, if you have a problem, the Octavia g-Tec is definitely one of the best environmental alternatives on the market.
- Advantages: Fast refueling, operating costs, no battery, sustainability, price
- Disadvantages: Weaker dynamics, number of available CNG stations in Slovakia