The Volkswagen Group has reached a very important milestone. A total of one million vehicles built on the exclusively electric MEB platform have rolled off its many production lines. This chassis platform is used not only by the Volkswagen ID series but also by Czech automaker Škoda Auto and the Audi e-tron range. Electric models are manufactured in eight factories worldwide.
Did you know that the MEB platform is also used by a non-group brand?
The company shared this news through its official Twitter account. Currently, MEB cars are produced under five brands. In addition to Volkswagen, Audi, Cupra, and Škoda Auto, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are also included. The platform was first introduced five years ago along with the electric mobility development strategy. To date, there are fourteen models, ranging from the small crossover Audi Q4 e-tron to the future flagship sedan, the Volkswagen ID.7, which will go on sale next year.
In addition to group brands, Ford also uses this platform. It will be the foundation for the first purely European model of the Ford brand, the electric Ford Explorer. However, the automaker is also working on its own platform in the background, so this partnership will likely have an expiration date. The German giant also faced a similar situation with Fisker, as the latter wanted to use the MEB for its SUV model. However, an agreement was not reached, and Fisker ultimately reached a deal with the startup Magna.
Photo by Golf Gte
Second million will support the rejuvenated platform
Vehicles on the MEB platform are offered with only two possible motorizations. The AAP 310 motor is a brushless electric motor with a permanent magnet capable of generating up to 310 Nm of torque. The newer AP 550 motor is a novelty in the lineup, being available only since April of this year, and as the name suggests, its maximum is 550 Nm. This propulsion can also be obtained for the Škoda Enyaq iV, where it is rated at 210 kW. The previous version offered a power of 150 kW.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen has started working on the development of a rejuvenated generation, codenamed MEB+. It aims to increase the maximum possible charging power to a range between 175 and 200 kW. The current vehicles range from 135 to 170 kW. In addition to charging, the range of the vehicles will also increase to a limit of 700 km on a single charge. The improvement should be around 30%.
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