Photo: Volkswagen / Skoda / Cupra / Audi / edited
Back in 2017, when the Volkswagen Group was in hot waters over the Dieselgate scandal, the German automaker proudly announced that it was pivoting to electric propulsion. Best described as the backbone of Volkswagen's electrification strategy, the MEB platform spawned in excess of 1,000,000 vehicles produced at no fewer than eight plants worldwide.
Not long now, the ninth factory will go live in the form of the Ford Cologne Electric Vehicle Center in Germany. Not available in the United States, the Explorer EV is – forgive me for being this blunt – Ford of Europe's take on the Volkswagen ID.4.
Not long now, the MEB architecture will be adapted into the MEB Entry for small cars and crossovers. MEB Entry-based vehicles have already been confirmed for production by the Volkswagen, Skoda, and Cupra brands. Cupra is believed to replace SEAT altogether by 2030. The Spanish automaker that gave us Cupra is rumored to morph into an urban mobility brand by then.
Turning our attention back to MEB vehicles, which come standard with rear-wheel drive as opposed to front-wheel drive for the MEB Entry, the Volkswagen Group currently builds MEB vehicles in Europe, the People's Republic of China, and the United States of America. From the ID.3 hatchback to the recently unveiled ID. Buzz long-wheelbase minivan, the MEB underpins them all. What's even more surprising is Volkswagen agreeing to share this platform with Ford, whose Explorer EV will inevitably cannibalize the ID.4 in Europe.
That is only a temporary collaboration, though. Martin Sander, the Blue Oval's electric vehicle development manager in Europe, confirmed that Ford is looking into all possible options for life after MEB. Reading between the lines, Ford will either partner with another company or develop a small platform of their own. In the long run, especially after the European Union bans the sale of new fossil-fuel vehicles, developing a platform could be more profitable than using another company's design, electrical systems, and software.
Volkswagen had a plethora of software-related issues before and right after the ID.3 went into series production, software-related issues that extended to the Golf Mk8. More recently, Volkswagen fired top executives of the Cariad software division. Software plays a huge role in any modern vehicle, including a three-cylinder econobox like Volkswagen Polo. Software is all the more critical in an electric vehicle, which is far more sensible to poor coding and bugs than an ICE car.
The ID.4 is firmly planted on the best-selling electric vehicles leaderboard, although Tesla continues to dominate sales globally with its Model Y crossover and Model 3 compact sedan. Chinese brands are doing pretty well in their own right, especially the likes of Wuling, BYD, and the peeps at GAC.
Not long now, the MEB architecture will be adapted into the MEB Entry for small cars and crossovers. MEB Entry-based vehicles have already been confirmed for production by the Volkswagen, Skoda, and Cupra brands. Cupra is believed to replace SEAT altogether by 2030. The Spanish automaker that gave us Cupra is rumored to morph into an urban mobility brand by then.
Turning our attention back to MEB vehicles, which come standard with rear-wheel drive as opposed to front-wheel drive for the MEB Entry, the Volkswagen Group currently builds MEB vehicles in Europe, the People's Republic of China, and the United States of America. From the ID.3 hatchback to the recently unveiled ID. Buzz long-wheelbase minivan, the MEB underpins them all. What's even more surprising is Volkswagen agreeing to share this platform with Ford, whose Explorer EV will inevitably cannibalize the ID.4 in Europe.
That is only a temporary collaboration, though. Martin Sander, the Blue Oval's electric vehicle development manager in Europe, confirmed that Ford is looking into all possible options for life after MEB. Reading between the lines, Ford will either partner with another company or develop a small platform of their own. In the long run, especially after the European Union bans the sale of new fossil-fuel vehicles, developing a platform could be more profitable than using another company's design, electrical systems, and software.
Volkswagen had a plethora of software-related issues before and right after the ID.3 went into series production, software-related issues that extended to the Golf Mk8. More recently, Volkswagen fired top executives of the Cariad software division. Software plays a huge role in any modern vehicle, including a three-cylinder econobox like Volkswagen Polo. Software is all the more critical in an electric vehicle, which is far more sensible to poor coding and bugs than an ICE car.
The ID.4 is firmly planted on the best-selling electric vehicles leaderboard, although Tesla continues to dominate sales globally with its Model Y crossover and Model 3 compact sedan. Chinese brands are doing pretty well in their own right, especially the likes of Wuling, BYD, and the peeps at GAC.
? one million cars, one platform!?
— Volkswagen Group (@VWGroup) June 16, 2023
Celebrating our electric vehicle platform, MEB, with five brands!
???? By now, Audi, Cupra, Skoda, Volkswagen & Volkswagen commercial are pushing 8 factories in China, Europe & US
???? More 2 come:
small MEB-family w/ Cupra, Skoda & Volkswagen! pic.twitter.com/lOS9cUZpD8
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