Skoda announced that it has begun production of the Octavia E Line, the company’s first fully electric car that was first saw in concept form at last year’s Paris Motor Show.

Starting this fall, the Czech automaker will manufacture a test fleet of 10 cars that will be used for evaluation of the emissions-free technology. This will help the Skoda collect valuable data to be used in future applications that will reduce its average CO2 emissions.

“Emission-free mobility is one of our key goals for the future, and my opinion is that electric vehicles are the right answer o the increasingly stringent emission limits”, said Skoda’s board of directors member for Technological Development, Dr. Eckhard Scholz.

Based on the Octavia Combi, the E Line features a 26.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack placed under the floor and an electric motor with a constant output of 60kW (80HP) and a maximum power of 85kW (110HP). As with all electric motors, its torque (270 Nm or 199 lb-ft) is available immediately.

With this setup, the Octavia accelerates from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 12.0 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph), while its maximum range is about 140 km (87 miles).

The Octavia E Line also features a sound generator that simulates the noise of a regular internal combustion engine at speeds up to 40 km/h (25 mph) in order to warn pedestrians.

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