OREANDA-NEWS. ŠKODA AUTO is building a new Emissions Centre in Mladá Boleslav. In partnership with the Volkswagen Group, the Czech car manufacturer will be investing more than €11 million into expanding the Engine Centre, which opened in 2014. The new centre is expected to open in July 2016. The new Emissions Centre will play a key role in reducing the emissions of new ŠKODA models in the years to come.

​The foundation stone was laid for the ‘Emissions Centre South’ at the ŠKODA Development Centre site at an official ceremony attended by Dr. Frank Welsch, ŠKODA Board Member, the chairman of ŠKODA’s trade union Jaroslav Povšík, as well as senior representatives from Technical Development and the Volkswagen Group. €6.4 million of the total of more than €11 million investments will go into constructing the new building, while the remaining almost €5 million will be spent on equipping the centre with the latest technology. In addition, the company has announced that new jobs will be created.

“ŠKODA will continue to grow with new models over the coming years,” says Dr. Frank Welsch, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development. “In developing new vehicles, we consistently aim to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The new Emissions Centre is thus a key element in our growth strategy and another important investment for the ŠKODA brand. We have been developing and building engines in Mladá Boleslav for the last 116 years. The company’s expertise in this area will be further strengthened with the opening of our new Emissions Centre.”

As a part of ŠKODA’s drivetrain development department, the new Emissions Centre will be directly connected to the Mladá Boleslav Engine Centre, which first opened in September 2014. Based on the latest measurement technology, ŠKODA will be able to measure the emissions of vehicles with petrol and diesel engines, as well as vehicles with alternative fuel systems in the new facility. Two completely new measuring stations will feature so-called biaxial brake testers, including rollers and analysing systems. Each test stand will initially be able to carry out up to 15 emission measurements daily, subsequently increasing to as many as 25 measurements every day. The range of test operating temperatures spans from -40°C to +65°C.

Sustainability and environmental protection are key elements in ŠKODA’s corporate strategy. This is particularly true of the recently introduced new ŠKODA Superb. Thanks to new engines, being lighter, and optimized aerodynamics, the new model uses up to 30% less fuel and emits 30% less CO2 than its predecessor.

At ŠKODA, individual mobility starts at 79g CO2/km for the natural-gas urban car ŠKODA Citigo G-TEC. 31 ŠKODA models already achieve CO2 emissions of under 100g/km, and 103 ŠKODA models emit less than 120g CO2/km. In addition to ŠKODA’s GreenLine and Green tec models, natural gas vehicles are an important cornerstone in the company’s sustainable product strategy. The ŠKODA range includes three attractive G-TEC models: the Citigo G-TEC, Octavia G-TEC and Octavia Combi (estate) G-TEC.

ŠKODA’s path is clearly defined: Eco-friendly mobility must remain affordable – for the benefit of customers and the environment. With the launch of the new ŠKODA Superb, the manufacturer converted their entire European engine range to the modern, eco-friendly EU-6 engines at the end of May. All ŠKODA models are now available with the latest petrol and diesel engines, which include stop-start systems and brake energy recovery (recuperation).

ŠKODA will once again be strengthening their expertise in development with the new Emissions Centre. The manufacturer has the fourth largest development centre in the Volkswagen Group, which one of the most advanced in the automotive industry. ŠKODA is the only carmaker in the Czech Republic to not only produce vehicles and components but also to develop them. To this end, the Technical Development department currently employs around 1700 specialists, engineers, designers and constructors.

ŠKODA has a 116-year tradition in developing and producing drivetrains. In 1899 – four years after the bicycle-construction company was established – ŠKODA’s founding fathers, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement (L&K), first added an auxiliary motor to one of their bicycle frames. In 1905, L&K developed the company’s first automobile under the name ‘Voiturette A’ – powered by a water-cooled, 7-horsepower, two-cylinder engine with an 1100cc capacity.