Škoda has produced the 13 millionth engine. At the same time, the production of the new 1.0 TSI powertrain commences at the Mladá Boleslav engine plant. The three-cylinder turbo petrol engine belongs to the EA 211 family of engines, which Škoda builds in four displacement volumes.
The production of the EA 211 model series began in 2012. This engine family is characterized by an aluminium cylinder block and twin overhead camshafts, which actuate four valves per cylinder. The exhaust manifold is integrated into the cylinder head.
The new 1.0 TSI once again extends the range of the engine family. The three-cylinder mill has weight-optimized, forged connecting rods and aluminium pistons. Škoda says that it does not require a balance shaft. Compared to comparatively powerful four-cylinder engines, it is more compact, lighter and said to generate less friction, thus operating much more efficiently.
The production of powertrains at ŠKODA’s headquarters began in 1899, when Václav Klement and Václav Laurin, the brand’s founding fathers, constructed their first motorcycle. “The milestone of 13 million units produced by ŠKODA represents 118 years of engineering skill and the performance of our team,” says Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA Board Member for Production and Logistics. “Our headquarters is one of the longest-established sites in the automotive industry for the construction and development of powertrains. With the production launch of the TSI thre-ecylinder EA 211 series, we are adding another chapter to this success story.”
Also Read – Skoda’s 19 millionth vehicle rolled off the production line
The first powertrain to leave Laurin & Klement’s workshop in Mladá Boleslav was a 1.25 hp single cylinder for the Slavia motorcycles built by the company that was founded in 1895. Previously, Laurin and Klement had built bicycles under the brand name ‘Slavia’ in the Central-Bohemian town.
In 1905, they constructed their first automobile, the Voiturette A, with a water-cooled 1,005 cc engine and 7 horsepower. In 1997, six years after the company’s relaunch under the umbrella of the Volkswagen Group, ŠKODA supplied engines from Mladá Boleslav to sister brands within the group for the first time.
In recent years, ŠKODA has significantly increased the main plant’s production capacity for both vehicles and engines. Today, up to 2,300 engines are built in Mladá Boleslav per day. Some 1,400 people are employed in engine production.