The end of the school year at the
Škoda Vocational School is traditionally marked by the creation of a Student Car. This year, 28 students transformed a Škoda Superb Estate into a support vehicle for cycling races. The name Škoda L&K 130 and its special colour scheme pay homage to Škoda Auto’s 130-year history, which began in 1895 with the production of bicycles.
The company founders — Václav Laurin and Václav Klement — later began designing and manufacturing motorbikes and cars under the L&K brand name; and even today, Škoda Auto maintains a deep connection to bicycles and cycle racing, being a long standing supporter of major international cycling events, including the Tour de France. Indeed, the Škoda L&K 130 is currently on show this summer at the 112th edition of the Tour de France (taking place 5-27 July).
With the support of their teachers and experts from various departments, the trainees invested more than 2,000 working hours in the planning, development and production of the Škoda L&K 130 — the first Student Car to be based on the Superb Estate and the first to feature a plug-in hybrid drive. This car’s electric range, derived from a high voltage battery with a gross capacity of 25.7kWh, allows it to be used as a support vehicle during bike races, which is why the students transformed the estate car into a pick-up.
The original luggage compartment has been replaced by a new, low-slung cargo bed which, at the touch of a button, can be extended rearwards together with the new tailgate, using a rack-and-pinion mechanism. This makes it easy to unload a spare bike for a cyclist during a race if required.
Two standard bike racks from Škoda’s accessory range range are installed on the platform. When the platform is retracted along with the tailgate, the carriers with the bikes tilt upwards at an angle of 35deg, so the vehicle has the same length as the original Škoda Superb Estate. A roof rack provides space for a third bicycle.