Skoda Slavia B: A Retro-Inspired Electric Café Racer Concept

Skoda unveils the Slavia B, an all-electric motorcycle concept blending minimalist design with its 19th-century bicycle roots. A bold nod to the past with eyes on the future.

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Skoda, best known today for its practical sedans and SUVs, has taken an unexpected detour down memory lane straight into the world of two wheels. The Czech automaker just unveiled the Slavia B. It is an all-electric motorcycle concept that pays homage to the company’s earliest days as a bicycle maker in the late 19th century.

This sleek, futuristic concept isn’t just a showpiece. It’s a nostalgic salute to Skoda’s origins and to the legacy of Laurin & Klement, the pioneering company that gave birth to Skoda as we know it.

Skoda: From Pedals to Power. A Legacy Reborn

Laurin & Klement, founded in 1895, started out building bicycles under the Slavia name before moving into motorcycles and eventually automobiles. The new Slavia B draws directly from this heritage, taking visual cues from one of the company’s first two-wheeled machines — a model once raced in the historic 1901 Paris-Berlin rally.

But instead of retro styling, Skoda chose a bold reinterpretation. It takes on minimalist lines, a clean frame with an airy void where a traditional engine would sit. Very much a nod to modern café racer aesthetics. Even the built-in leather tool bag feels deliberate — a subtle connection to its sporting past.

Designed by a Car Guy, Drawn by Hand

Surprisingly, the Slavia B was crafted by Romain Bucaille, a designer who typically sketches the curves of Skoda cars. Returning to motorcycles was a refreshing shift, Bucaille said. He noted that the project began not with software but with good old-fashioned pencil sketches.

“The great thing about sketching on paper is that it’s instant,” Bucaille explained. “No need for a screen. Just ideas flowing freely.”

His vision resulted in what he calls a “futuristic café racer in Modern Solid style,” merging 1960s British motorbike culture with a sharp, clean design language fit for tomorrow’s cities.

Will It Ever Hit the Road?

For now, the Slavia B remains a concept. It is a beautiful vision with no production plans announced. But as the first of several planned tributes, it hints at a broader effort by Skoda to reconnect with its roots through modern reinterpretations. If the response is strong, it wouldn’t be surprising to see something like it take shape in the real world.

Even as Skoda thrives today as part of the Volkswagen Group, the Slavia B reminds us that its journey began not with engines or emissions but with spokes and pedals — and that some legacies ride on forever.