German start-up e.GO Mobile AG has become the first partner to use Volkswagen’s ‘MEB’ electric vehicle platform.
Volkswagen has decided to share some of its electric vehicle technology with third parties to simplify EV production across a variety of models.
The automaker has signed German start-up e.GO Mobile AG as the first external partner for its modular EV production platform called “Modulare E-Antriebs-Baukasten (MEB).
Based in Aachen, e.GO Mobile AG is working on a variety of cost-effective electric vehicles for short-haul traffic. The company builds tiny EVs, shuttles and electric bikes/ go-karts.
The start-up will use VW’s MEB production system to “bring e-vehicles to market that complement Volkswagen’s model offering,” the carmaker said in a statement.
MEB platform to help lower EV production costs
As reported by Future Car, Volkswagen’s MEB platform represents an entirely new way of building cars at Volkswagen. The new architecture combines all of the vehicle’s electronic controls, batteries and electric powertrain components into a single, modular chassis, which reduces complexity and the number of microprocessors.
According to Volkswagen, purely electric vehicles will account for approximately one quarter of all vehicles produced by 2025, and it believes that the MEB platform will help make this possible.
Volkswagen is showing off the possibilities and versatility of the EV platform at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show this week, with a quirky recreational concept vehicle called the ID Buggy. The automaker will also be showcasing several electric vehicles, including the Audi e-tron GT, ŠKODA Vision iV and SEAT Urban Car.
