Škoda partnered with BBC Top Gear and BBC Earth to drive a standard Enyaq Coupé vRS across northern Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The expedition covered more than 300 miles of tarmac, dirt, and sand in temperatures near 40°C. It linked the region’s deep human evolutionary history with the progress of electric mobility.
Highlights
- A production-spec Enyaq Coupé vRS with only all-terrain tires as a modification traversed over 300 miles of mixed terrain in extreme heat.
- The team visited the Turkana Basin Institute, a research center focused on early human evolution and hominid fossil discoveries.
- Portable three-phase charging at up to 11 kW kept the EV operational in an area with no public rapid-charging infrastructure.
- The project draws on the Enyaq name’s Gaelic origin, meaning “source,” connecting human origins with EV evolution.
Expedition Route and Key Stops
The Great Rift Valley in northern Kenya preserves millions of years of fossil evidence. Lake Turkana, the world’s largest permanent desert lake, anchors the region’s scientific importance.
The team visited the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI). Dr. Richard Leakey founded TBI in 2005 in partnership with Stony Brook University. The institute operates permanent research centers on both sides of Lake Turkana.
Beyond the research sites, the route included Eliye Springs, the Waddach Pyramids rock formations, and the Natong’obong sand dunes. The team also visited a traditional Turkana manyatta settlement and passed through Kalokol and Lodwar. Lodwar sits roughly 10 hours by road from Nairobi.
Vehicle Performance in Extreme Conditions
The Enyaq Coupé vRS ran in standard production specification. Its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system produces 340 PS from an 84 kWh battery. All-wheel drive and instant torque delivered consistent traction on loose and uneven surfaces.
Dynamic Chassis Control managed heavily corrugated tracks. The climate-controlled cabin offered relief from intense heat throughout the journey. Driving Mode Select includes a dedicated Traction mode. This mode optimizes the four-wheel-drive system for challenging surfaces.
Charging Without Public Infrastructure
No public rapid-charging stations exist in the Turkana region. However, a three-phase power supply and portable charging adapter provided up to 11 kW of charging speed. This approach delivered sufficient range for long driving days.
In standard conditions, the Enyaq Coupé vRS offers a WLTP range of up to 344 miles. DC rapid charging at up to 185 kW reaches 10–80% in approximately 26 minutes.
Human Origins Meet Electric Mobility
The expedition passed near sites where the world’s oldest known stone tools were found. It also traveled close to where the “Turkana Boy” Homo erectus skeleton was unearthed in 1984. That discovery, estimated at 1.6 million years old, reshaped understanding of human anatomy and behavior.
Pietro Panarisi, Head of PR and Communications at Škoda UK, said: “To see the Enyaq in this extraordinary landscape was a special moment for everyone involved. It demonstrates that electric driving is not limited to familiar environments or everyday tasks – it also provides opportunity for adventure and exploration of extreme environments.”
Previous Enyaq Expeditions
This trip builds on earlier Enyaq projects. In 2023, a Škoda Enyaq earned a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous vehicle drift on ice. In 2024, a fleet of Enyaq models completed a drive to the edge of the Sahara Desert. A feature story appears in the April 2026 issue of BBC Top Gear Magazine.
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