Volkswagen Group MEB platform

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The Volkswagen Group MEB platform (German: Modularer E-Antriebs Baukasten, 'modular electric-drive toolkit') [1] [2] is a modular car platform for electric cars developed by the Volkswagen Group and its subsidiaries. [3]

Contents

Volkswagen Group MEB platform
Diess, ID lineup, GIMS 2018, Le Grand-Saconnex (1X7A9912).jpg
Volkswagen, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen Group, Dr. Herbert Diess, presents the ID. line-up based on the MEB platform.
Overview
Manufacturer Volkswagen Group
Production2019–present
Body and chassis
Layout

It is used in models of Audi, Cupra, Škoda, and Volkswagen, along with Ford through partnership. The architecture is aimed to "consolidate electronic controls and reduce the number of microprocessors, advance the application of new driver-assistance technology and somewhat alter the way cars are built" [4] by the VW Group.

Plans

The MEB platform is part of a Volkswagen strategy to start production of new battery electric vehicles between 2019 and 2025. [4] In 2017, the VW Group announced a gradual transition from combustion engine to battery electric vehicles with all 300 models across 12 brands having an electric version by 2030. [5]

As of May 2018, the VW Group had committed US$48 billion in electric-vehicle batteries supplies [6] and announced plans to outfit 16 factories to build electric cars by the end of 2022. [7] The Volkswagen-branded production cars started to be assembled in VW's Volkswagen Zwickau-Mosel Plant in Germany for the European market at the end of 2019, while two plants in North America and China started production in 2020 and Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2022. [8] The Škoda-branded SUV Enyaq is produced in the Škoda plant in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic, along with electric motors [9] and electric car batteries. [10]

As of November 2018, two types of the MEB platform were slated to be developed: one for passenger vehicles and one for utility automobiles that accommodate heavier cargo. [11] VW also stated that the platform would be available for procurement to competitor manufacturers. [12]

Ford Motor Company has a strategic partnership with Volkswagen for the MEB platform to benefit from economies of scale. As of mid-2024, Ford is building MEB-based Ford Explorer vehicles in Cologne. [13] [14]

Applications

Production vehicles

As of 2024, the MEB platform underpins nine core models, with eight of them in active production, resulting in a total of 13 different vehicles.

(Sub-bullets indicate rebadged versions or derivatives of the same vehicle, e.g., coupe or cargo)

Concept vehicles

Sales to other manufacturers

In 2018, VW announced that it is open to sharing the platform with manufacturers outside of the VW Group. In addition to the platform, VW also offered individual components as well as top hat development and contract manufacturing. [35]

Ford

In late 2018, the companies announced talks about the sharing of technology. [36] In 2019, the planned volume was doubled from 600,000 to 1.2 million. Three models are planned to be produced by Ford, the Explorer EV, Capri EV and the Puma Gen-E. [37]

Fisker (cancelled)

In July 2020 Fisker announced that it was in negotiations with VW about using the MEB for the planned Fisker Ocean, that was already unveiled in late 2019. [38] [39] A month later, the negotiations were halted.

In October 2020, it was announced that Magna Steyr will be assembling the vehicle using Magna's own EV technology. [40]

Mahindra

Mahindra announced in late 2022 that they intend to use MEB components for Mahindra's upcoming EV platform named "Inglo". [41] Mahindra planned to launch five vehicles based on the Inglo. [42]

Electric motors

Rear axle

APP 310

The MEB platform is supported by the APP 310 electric motor, which is a permanent magnet brushless motor. Fully developed by Volkswagen, the name "APP" derives from the arrangement of the motor and the gearbox in parallel with the axle, while "310" references its maximum torque of 310 N⋅m (31.6 kg⋅m; 229 lb⋅ft). Maximum torque is achieved at a low engine speed, which means that a 1-speed gearbox is sufficient for the entire rotational speed range. Together with the gearbox, the motor weighs only around 90 kg (200 lb). [43]

The motor is produced at component sites in Kassel, Germany and Tianjin, China, while the rotor and stator are produced in Italy by Eurotranciatura S.p.a..

APP 550

The APP 550 was unveiled in April 2023 and delivers 550 N⋅m (56.1 kg⋅m; 406 lb⋅ft), as the naming scheme suggests. It is the same size as the APP 310. According to a press release the efficiency has been increased through an improved inverter. [44]

Optional Front axle

All-wheel drive models are equipped with an auxiliary front axle motor. This motor is a 3-phase AC induction motor. It is only used when needed for acceleration or handling. It is purchased from a Magna subsidiary. [45]

Production numbers

Model2019 [46] 2020 [46] 2021 [47] 2022 [47] 2023 [48] Total
Volkswagen ID.35064,25973,73883,432142,216363,695
Volkswagen ID.4/5-6,487134,319207,934223,425572,165
Škoda Enyaq iV-93949,81157,21386,732194,695
Audi Q4 e-tron--27,51958,764125,441211,724
Volkswagen ID.6--20,46138,84615,92675,233
Cupra Born--4,80136,15345,74886,702
Audi Q5 e-tron--993,1135,5068,718
Volkswagen ID. Buzz---11,01335,27246,285
Volkswagen ID.7----8,5928,592
Ford Explorer EV-----0
Ford Capri EV-----0
Annual5071,685310,748496,468688,8581,567,809

Global market share

2019202020212022
MEB production5071,685310,748496,468
Global BEV Sales [49] 1,692,0002,270,8004,805,2807,681,060
market share0.00%3.16%6.47%6.46%

See also

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References

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