Skoda has revealed the electric model it hopes will help it become a major player on the European EV scene. The Skoda Elroq is a new battery-powered crossover that promises to blend the brand’s latest design philosophy with a long range, affordability and practicality.

It is slightly longer, taller and wider than a Volkswagen ID.3, with which it shares the MEB platform, but it costs about the same with a low starting price in some markets of €33,000 ($36,500) before any local government incentives and discounts are applied. The base version is called the Elroq 50, and it features a 55-kilowatt-hour battery with a net capacity of 52 kWh and a single 168-horsepower motor driving the rear wheels. It accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in 9 seconds.

This base version has a WLTP range of 230 miles (370 km), and if that’s not enough, you can move up to the Elroq 60, whose battery has a larger net capacity of 59 kWh and 248 miles (400 km) of range. It also features a more powerful 204 hp motor that drops the acceleration figure to 8.5 seconds.

The top model, the Elroq 85, has a battery with 77 kWh, and it can travel up to 347 miles (560 km) on one charge. Its single rear motor makes 282 hp, and it sends the vehicle to 62 mph from naught in 6.6 seconds. If you want all-wheel drive, you will have to wait for the Elroq 85X, which has the same battery capacity but a more powerful 300 hp dual-motor configuration. It will eventually be added to the range, but Skoda didn’t say when.

Charging power varies depending on the battery pack. Elroqs equipped with the base battery charge at 145 kW; those with the middle battery get a boost to 165 kW while those with the largest battery can peak at 175 kW. That’s enough for a 10 to 80% charge in 25, 24 and 28 minutes, respectively.

The Elroq debuts Skoda’s new family design called the Tech Deck Face, which features a two-tier layout with daytime running lights on top and separate headlights lower on the fascia. It looks great, and it has to be one of our favorite applications of a two-tier design while also helping the vehicle achieve a low drag coefficient of just 0.26, which is slightly better than the VW ID.3’s 0.263, even though this is a taller vehicle with a larger frontal area.

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Even though it fits into the compact crossover size bracket, there’s actually plenty of space inside the Elroq, with excellent levels of rear knee and shoulder room. The trunk’s maximum load volume is 16.6 cubic feet (470 liters), and it can be expanded to 55.8 cu-ft (1,580 liters) with the rear seat folded flat.

Some EVs have an underfloor compartment in the trunk or a frunk where you can store your charging cable. Many don’t have a dedicated spot for it, so it often ends up sliding around the trunk while you drive. Skoda put elastic netting under the parcel shelf, and it’s such a great idea we wonder why it took so long for a manufacturer to come up with this solution.

There’s also an umbrella in the driver’s door, and the included ice scraper also serves as a tire wear gauge. The 13-inch infotainment screen is complemented by a row of physical shortcut buttons underneath, and the onboard voice assistant called Laura is powered by ChatGPT, so it should be able to “answer general knowledge questions.”