Photo: Skoda
The gap between Volkswagen and Skoda EVs in terms of software is increasingly more evident. The Czech company recently gave its vehicles ME3, an equivalent to the ID. Software 3.0. The difference is that electric cars from the German brand have had this software since March. Now Enyaq iV vehicles will get Plug & Charge, something the Volkswagen ID family has offered since December 2021.
If you are not familiar with what Plug & Charge means, it gives EV owners a similar experience to that Tesla owners get with Supercharging stations. With the American EV maker’s cars, you just connect them to the charger, and the charging session starts immediately. Plug & Charge does the same with Volkswagen – and now Skoda – electric cars plugged into compatible chargers.
That only sounds futility if you are not familiar with charging an EV or a PHEV. Some chargers are just an outlet where you can plug your car with your own cable. In the ones that already provide the cable, you have to use a card to connect and start the charging session. It takes precious time you could spend doing anything other than waiting for the card to be read and the connection with the vehicle to succeed. Sometimes, the connection fails a bit after you plug in your car, and you have to repeat the entire process. With some luck, it will work in the following attempt.
The Czech brand did not provide any explanation for the eight-month delay, which is more than predictable. Skoda would not mention a “competitor” while talking about a new feature its vehicles present – even if its vehicles are Volkswagen cars with a more friendly price tag.
According to Skoda, all Enyaq iV sold from now on will already come with Plug & Charge. At the same time, the older ones will get this capability with over-the-air (OTA) updates. The catch is that they will need ME3 before they can receive these remote updates. Anyone taking their Enyaq iV to the dealership will have both the ME3 and the Plug & Charge installed right away. The car will have to sit there for five hours anyway.
That only sounds futility if you are not familiar with charging an EV or a PHEV. Some chargers are just an outlet where you can plug your car with your own cable. In the ones that already provide the cable, you have to use a card to connect and start the charging session. It takes precious time you could spend doing anything other than waiting for the card to be read and the connection with the vehicle to succeed. Sometimes, the connection fails a bit after you plug in your car, and you have to repeat the entire process. With some luck, it will work in the following attempt.
The Czech brand did not provide any explanation for the eight-month delay, which is more than predictable. Skoda would not mention a “competitor” while talking about a new feature its vehicles present – even if its vehicles are Volkswagen cars with a more friendly price tag.
According to Skoda, all Enyaq iV sold from now on will already come with Plug & Charge. At the same time, the older ones will get this capability with over-the-air (OTA) updates. The catch is that they will need ME3 before they can receive these remote updates. Anyone taking their Enyaq iV to the dealership will have both the ME3 and the Plug & Charge installed right away. The car will have to sit there for five hours anyway.
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