'You Get a Platform, and YOU Get a Platform…' - Volkswagen, Possibly

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Volkswagen could be on the verge of going Oprah, tossing electric MEB platforms to adoring fans like a pile of Pontiac G6s.

After forging an alliance with Ford — a partnership that might result in MEB-based Blue Oval vehicles — the automaker is reportedly looking at making its EV architecture available to anyone who wants it.

This news comes by way of Reuters, which cites a comment made by VW strategy chief Michael Jost in the German Tagesspiegel newspaper Wednesday.

While VW already has lofty plans for the modular platform, with numerous models and millions of vehicles anticipated in the coming years, Jost said the company wants MEB to become “a standard not only for the VW group.”

The automaker is currently engaged in “advanced” talks with rivals over use of the platform, Reuters reports.

Such an arrangement would benefit automakers who lag behind in EV development due to lack of resources, as well as provide an option for companies unwilling to sink huge development costs into a technology that might not sell in great enough numbers to make the venture worthwhile. Also, no one wants to lose the range war. VW’s MEB-platform vehicles are said to boast driving ranges of up to 340 miles on the WLTP cycle.

While Ford hasn’t said whether it will field an MEB-based vehicle, VW will launch a Ranger-based pickup — once the next-generation version of Ford’s midsizer shows up.

[Image: Volkswagen Group]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Deanst Deanst on Jan 30, 2019

    Suzuki makes about 3 million vehicles annually - not exactly insignificant.

  • Salmonmigration Salmonmigration on Jan 30, 2019

    Designed by VW and built by Ford. Now, why doesn't that sound like a good idea when I say it out loud?

    • See 2 previous
    • Lockstops Lockstops on Jan 31, 2019

      Or how does the combo of Ford's competence and VW's honesty sound?

  • Jerome10 Jerome10 on Jan 30, 2019

    I still keep hearing automakers spewing about their millions of EVs soon on the road! When actual demand is what, perhaps 16 or possibly 17 actual vehicles? I predict nowhere good is where these car companies are headed. Billions invested into a market that doesn't actually exist is most certainly a bad strategy.

    • See 2 previous
    • Lockstops Lockstops on Jan 31, 2019

      @sportyaccordy Are they up to half a percent of the market yet? Tesla is like Whole Foods except a lot worse: not really a business as such, more like a douchebags' collective. They overpay for crap which is made just for them. Actually forget a pretty rational business like Whole Foods as a reference, it's more like the time share market. They're basically paying fees to keep their own club afloat, a club which has no real viability as a business.

  • John John on Jan 31, 2019

    I am curious, if Ford will get access to the MEB Platform, might VAG get access to Fords new Rear Wheel Drive Biased/AWD CD6 Modular Platform, and supplemented or replace VAGs nose heavy Front Wheel Drive Biased/AWD MLBevo platform on performance vehicles from Audi,Bentley,Lamborghini and Porsche.

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