Skoda has opened order books for its second plug-in hybrid (PHEV), extending the technology already available on the Octavia to the Kodiaq SUV.

On sale from £41,935 on-the-road, the Kodiaq PHEV has a WLTP-certifed electric driving range of up to 75 miles. Skoda believes this will give it a significant appeal with fleet drivers, both versions subject to a Benefit in Kind rate of just 5%.

Skoda says that the the PHEV drivetrain was part of the design criteria for the latest Kodiaq iV, allowing the most efficient placement of the hybrid components. The brand’s second-generation plug-in hybrid system matches a four-cylinder turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine of 150hp to a three-phase permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that generates 116hp and 330Nm of torque. The motor is built directly into the six-speed DSG gearbox, and is separated from the engine by a clutch.

The system has a significantly improved range over the first-generation system courtesy of a larger 25.7kWh battery pack mounted under the rear seats and water cooled. It is also faster to charge than its predecessor, able to accept DC rapid charging up to 50kW enabling a 10 to 50% charge is around 26 minutes.

The Kodiaq iV can also be charged on an AC supply via an industry-standard Type 2 plug. The maximum charge rate on AC is 11kW, which delivers a charge time of around 2hrs 30 minutes.

The Kodiaq iV offers three drive modes, electric-only, hybrid and sport. It comes in a choice of two trim levels, SE and and SE L and only in five-seat format. Standard equipment on the entry SE includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED front and rear lights, heated front seats and a keyless start/stop system.

A 13-inch satellite navigation touchscreen display, 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit and tri-zone climate control are also fitted along with a host of active safety features autonomous emergency braking reacting to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, blind spot detection with a door exit warning and a front cross-traffic alert.