› Škoda renames one of the UK’s oldest national parks the Peaq District to celebrate the arrival of the new, all-electric Škoda Peaq

› Bespoke Peaq District signage will appear across the national park from 27 July to 2 August, during the peak summer holiday season

› Škoda is offering free cycle hire at Parsley Hay Cycle Centre from 27 July to 2 August, encouraging more people to explore the Peak District National Park

› To claim, vistors can use the code SkodaPeaqDistrict at the link HERE - https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/cycle/bike-h

› New Škoda research reveals almost one in three UK adults (29%) have never visited one of the UK’s 15 designated national parks

› The new Škoda Peaq is the brand’s first seven-seat electric SUV and will be available to order from 20 August, with prices starting at £51,980 OTR

Milton Keynes, 00:01 BST 22 July 2026 – Škoda is renaming one of the UK’s most significant national parks to mark the introduction of the new all-electric Peaq. For one week only, the park will become the Peaq District, encouraging staycationers to explore the UK’s outdoor spaces after research revealed that nearly a third of people (29%) have never visited one of its national parks.

The campaign marks both the arrival of the new all-electric Škoda Peaq – the brand’s

seven-seat family SUV designed for everyday adventures – and the 75th anniversary of the Peak District National Park. For seven days, from 27 July to 2 August, the national park will be temporarily renamed the Peaq District, with visitors able to enjoy free cycle hire from Parsley Hay Cycle Centre throughout the takeover.

The Peaq is the largest and most spacious model in the brand’s lineup. With a driving range of up to 390 miles, and a length of nearly 4.9 metres, it offers seating for up to seven adults, and up to 2,075 litres of luggage capacity - enough for eight large suitcases* - with the second and third rows of seats folded flat, making it perfect for everyday family adventures.

Eric Boutin, Director of Škoda UK, said: “The new all-electric Škoda Peaq is the ultimate SUV for families with an everyday sense of adventure, and it fits perfectly with the ethos of the Peak District National Park. We’re passionate about encouraging more people to get outdoors and experience these incredible protected spaces. Cycling has always been part of Škoda’s DNA – after all, the brand started life on two wheels – and that heritage still shapes how we think about mobility today.”

Many of the UK’s national parks are free to enter and enjoy, yet Škoda research suggests there is still confusion around how they are accessed and how many exist. The study found that 37% of people believe visitors must pay to enter national parks, while 18% think there are more than 20 designated parks in the UK, rather than the 15 that exist**.

Awareness of individual national parks is also limited. When asked to name them, most respondents could only recall a small number, with the Lake District (47%) and the Peak District (42%) the most widely recognised.

While awareness of the UK’s national parks is mixed, those who do visit tend to return regularly. More than half (53%) have visited a national park within the past year, while 10% say they have explored more than half of all 15 national parks in the UK.

Phil Mulligan, Chief Executive, Peak District National Park, said: As the stewards of this incredible part of the UK, we want to make it as accessible as possible to as many as people as possible. Whether that’s walking some of our beautiful pathways or cycling the many bike trails we have, we want more of the visitors to the Peaq District to understand and appreciate its natural beauty.”

With its long-standing work in cycling further enhanced with the recent announcement of world-renowned road cyclist Chris Froome as Brand Cycling Ambassador, Škoda is encouraging more people to enjoy the trails on offer as only 10% of people say they associate it with trips to national parks.

The Peaq District will run from 27 July – 2 August, where eagle-eyed visitors will be able to spot bespoke signage of the national park’s new name, while the offer of free cycle hire will last throughout the week for families to take advantage to kick off their summer holiday plans. To claim free cycle hire at Parsley Hay Cycle Centre, visitors can use the code SkodaPeaqDistrict at the link HERE https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/cycle/bike-hire-centres/parsleyhay.

A full database of downloadable media assets featuring the Škoda Peaq District takeover can be accessed at www.skodamedia.com.

ENDS

*100-litre suitcases

**List of 15 UK National Parks:

• Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park

• Cairngorms National Park

• Dartmoor National Park

• Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park

• Exmoor National Park

• Lake District National Park

• Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

• New Forest National Park

• Northumberland National Park

• North York Moors National Park

• Peak District National Park

• Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

• South Downs National Park

• The Broads National Park

• Yorkshire Dales National Park

Contact

Pietro Panarisi

Head of PR & Communications

M +44 7814 674 661

Pietro.panarisi@skoda.co.uk

Jane Halsey

PR Manager

M +44 7887 293 941

jane.halsey@skoda.co.uk

Škoda Auto

is successfully steering through the new decade with the Next Level Škoda Strategy;

aims to become one of the top three best-selling brands in Europe by the end of the decade by offering its customers the best of both worlds through a range of attractive BEV, hybrid & ICE products;

effectively exploits the potential in important growth markets such as India, Vietnam and the ASEAN region;

currently offers customers 14 passenger car model ranges: Fabia, Scala, Octavia, Superb, Kamiq, Karoq, Kodiaq, Epiq, Elroq, Enyaq, Peaq, Slavia, Kylaq and Kushaq;

delivered more than 1,040,000 vehicles to customers worldwide in 2025;

has been part of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world's most successful car manufacturers, for more than 30 years;

is part of Brand Group CORE, an organisational merger of the Volkswagen Group's volume brands, with the aim of achieving joint growth and significantly increasing the overall efficiency of all five volume brands;

independently develops and produces components such as MEB battery systems, engines and transmissions for other Volkswagen Group brands;

operates three production plants in the Czech Republic; has production capacities in Spain, Slovakia, Kazakhstan and India, mostly through group partnerships, as well as in Vietnam and Ukraine in cooperation with a local partner;

employs around 40,000 people worldwide and is active in almost 100 markets.

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