Škoda Roadiaq: student car for adventurers

The ninth Apprentice Car designed by students at the Škoda Academy promotes eMobility and the spirit of exploration. The Škoda Roadiaq can be both a mobile office and bedroom.

27. 6. 2023 eMobility

When creating the ninth apprentice car, the Škoda apprentices were strongly inspired by the Czech carmaker’s motto: Let’s explore. The Škoda Roadiaq is a car with an adventurous spirit, tailor-made for exploration.

This year, the pupils used the Škoda Enyaq electric car as the starting point for the first time, gradually transforming it into a unique mobile home with the help of experts from Škoda and their teachers and vocational training instructors. The car gives the user a lot of freedom: they can go anywhere and do anything when they get there. Not only is the Škoda Roadiaq equipped with a place to sleep and a built-in kitchen, but it also contains the tools and conveniences that allow you to work from anywhere.

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“As a mobile-office camper, the Roadiaq allows you to work wherever you want. It is thus emblematic of the New Work approach we at Škoda are fully committed to – using flexibility as much as possible to find a balanced optimum for the needs of the team. Over the course of the project, it was particularly impressive to see the enthusiasm, pleasure and attention to detail with which the students at the Academy worked on the vehicle over a period of months – in keeping with the principle of ‘Excellence with joy’! Because our ninth Student Car shows in an impressive manner what people can achieve together if they dedicate themselves to such a project with passion,” says Maren Gräf, Škoda board member for People & Culture.

Same tech, modified body

The technical basis of the car remains unchanged, so the Roadiaq is fundamentally a purely electric Enyaq with all-wheel drive and a system output of 195 kW. The car has a battery with a total capacity of 82 kW and offers a range of up to 495 kilometres on the WLTP cycle. However, the similarities with the production car pretty much end with the technology and front and side body shapes.

Over the course of more than 2,000 hours of work, the team of 29 apprentices who worked on the study came up with modifications that gave the Roadiaq the practicality of a touring car for the adventurous. The car’s roof has been raised at the rear to give more space inside. The left rear door and its handle have also been modified, and the window in this area has been given a screen. The reason for these changes is simple: there is a bed in the left rear part of the car.

The apprentices also redesigned the car’s fifth door, which now allows for the attachment of a tent that offers protection from the weather, which is particularly important when using the kitchen located in the rear of the car.

“The Student Car project combines three of Škoda’s great strengths: its bold can-do attitude, hands-on approach and tremendous team spirit. At Škoda Design, we are very happy to be part of this project. It’s our aim to give these talented youngsters a comprehensive, tangible insight into our everyday work and get them excited about it. The ideas our students come up with fascinate me every year and I truly appreciate their valuable input and their extraordinary creativity,” says chief designer Oliver Stefani, remarking on the idea behind the car.

Sustainable materials and practicality

The interior of the Škoda Roadiaq represents a far-reaching revamp of the production Enyaq. The front part may have fewer modifications, but even here a workspace has been created that allows you to work from virtually anywhere in the passenger seat. Within easy reach from the passenger seat is a special tablet holder on an adjustable arm. The vehicle is constantly connected to the internet via mobile networks.

The interior combines an office and a bed for one.

In the back, though, everything is different. In cooperation with the Škoda IT department, the pupils installed a 27-inch monitor with a docking station, wireless keyboard and mouse in the car, a set-up that allows unrestricted work from anywhere. The rear interior lighting is new, electrical sockets have been added for connecting other devices and there are even amenities such as a shower, coffee machine and that fully equipped kitchenette with cooker in the rear of the car. The car’s electrical equipment can be powered by solar panels if needed, and when camping the car can easily be connected to the mains for powering the on-board equipment. The rear area is fitted with tailor-made furniture and can easily be converted from a living space into a bedroom for one. Of course, the car also features a folding table and chairs.

Work space, bedroom, kitchen – everything is within reach.

The car’s exterior has been given a new paint job combining Moon White and Emerald Green. The interior, including the upholstery, is made from completely recycled and recyclable materials. The pillowcases and blankets for sleeping in the car are made using a special 3D Knit method, which also uses recycled materials and generates no waste.

The car’s equipment features a number of recycled materials.

It’s worth noting that the pupils worked with experts from a number of the Czech carmaker’s departments as well as experts from the supplier companies. “Indeed, the Apprentice Car project gives apprentices the chance to get to know all the Škoda departments very well. The support and information with experts from different areas of Škoda and teachers from Škoda Academy is very beneficial for our students and their development. This year, the project has also been enriched by cooperation with external camper van specialists,” says Zdeněk Stanke, Team Leader at Škoda Academy.