√Skoda to develop petrol engines for more than 50 Volkswagen Group models

The Volkswagen Group has given its Czech brand Skoda sole responsibility of developing one of the car giant’s most common petrol engines.

Czech car-maker Skoda – which has been part of the giant Volkswagen Group since 1991 – has been tasked with developing the German conglomerate’s next-generation turbocharged petrol engine, expected to power more than 50 models across its seven affiliated automotive brands.

In a media statement, Skoda announced the Volkswagen Group’s turbocharged ‘EA 211’ petrol engine will now be developed by the Czech car-maker – which has produced non-turbocharged examples of the engine in its Mladá Boleslav factory since 2012.

Volkswagen’s EA 211 is a modular engine which can be built across a number of specifications – three- or four-cylinder, naturally aspirated or turbocharged, and with capacities ranging from 1.0- to 1.6-litres.

In Australia, the EA 211 engine is currently available in the Volkswagen Golf, Polo, Tiguan and T-Cross, the Audi A1 and Q3, as well as the Skoda Octavia, Fabia, Kamiq and Scala.

A 1.4-litre plug-in hybrid variant of the engine powers the Cupra Leon and Formentor VZe variants, though this electrified option is not currently available elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group’s Australian model range.

According to Johannes Neft, Skoda board member for technical development, the next-generation EA 211 will be used in at least “50 model lines” across seven unspecified Volkswagen Group brands.

“Taking responsibility for the development of the entire EA 211 engine series is confirmation of Skoda’s high level of technical expertise,” said Mr Neft in a media statement.

“At the same time, this underlines the importance of the Skoda brand within the entire Volkswagen Group, as the engines in this series are used in 50 model lines of seven of its brands.”

Skoda claims the increased development and production of the EA 211 will result in approximately 150 more jobs at its Mladá Boleslav factory – the home of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB A0 Global small car platform and the new-generation Superb/Passat twins.

The Volkswagen Group’s decision to move the engine’s development to Skoda follows Volkswagen’s passenger cars division announcing it will end the sale of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles in Europe by 2033, two years before the European Union’s proposed fossil-fuel ban.

While Audi has announced an identical target to Volkswagen, Skoda has not yet ruled out a move away from petrol and diesel engines.

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