Skoda takes all-electric Citigo-e iV off sale

Skoda has taken its first electric car off sale in the UK after running out of allocation.

The firm’s Citigo-e iV only arrived in the UK in February, but has already been removed from sale after the firm filled its 2020 allocation for the model, with order books being closed for the Citigo for the foreseeable future.

Produced in Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside its Seat Mii Electric and Volkswagen e-Up! siblings, the plant there suspended production on March 16, and remains closed.

While the decision to take the model off sale is not linked to the coronavirus pandemic, a Skoda spokesperson said that they had been unable to confirm additional production for the Citigo-e iV with the factory.

Just 400 versions of the Citigo-e are slated for the UK in 2020, with most these being allocated by the time the car arrived in showrooms. Similar electric car shortages have also been seen by Hyundai and Kia in the past.

A Skoda spokesperson said: “Normally we would request with the factory for further production, but we haven’t been able to have this discussion and confirm this with the plant shutdowns. We won’t be able to do this until business resumes.

“The Citigo-e iV has sold exceptionally well in the UK, with pretty much all our allocation being sold out as it arrived in showrooms. As our first fully-electric model, we had lofty expectations for it, but demand just outstripped supply.”

Both the Seat Mii Electric and Volkswagen e-Up! sibling products remain on sale.

Skoda announced the electric version of the Citigo last year, prompting the discontinuation of the petrol-powered version. The Citigo-e iV was unveiled alongside a plug-in hybrid version of the Superb, with these two cars being the new first to use the new ‘iV’ branding, which is reserved for electric and hybrid models from the Czech brand.

Later this year Skoda will unveil its first bespoke EV – the Enyaq – which will arrive at the end of Q1 in 2020, quickly followed by a coupe-like version. By 2022, the brand will have 10 electric and hybrid models on sale.