APP 550

The Volkswagen Group MEB platform (, 'modular electric-drive toolkit') is a modular car platform for electric cars developed by the Volkswagen Group and its subsidiaries.Julian Rendell
Skoda electric vehicle under development
'' Autocar''. Published on 16 March 2016.

It is used in models of Audi, Cupra, Å koda, 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" 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. 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.

As of May 2018, the VW Group had committed in electric-vehicle batteries suppliesVW doubles its electric vehicle battery contracts to $48 billion
''Fortune''. 3 May 2018. and announced plans to outfit 16 factories to build electric cars by the end of 2022. 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. The Škoda-branded SUV Enyaq is produced in the Škoda plant in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic, along with electric motors and electric car batteries.

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

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.

In 2025, it was reported that the upcoming ID Every1 and ID.2 will be built on the ''MEB Entry'' platform.

Models

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)
* Audi Q4 e-tron (2021–present)
** Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron (2021–present)
* Audi Q5 e-tron (2021–present)
*Cupra Born (2021–present)
*Cupra Tavascan (2023–present)
** Volkswagen ID. UNYX 06 (2024–present)
*Ford Explorer EV (2024–present)
*Ford Capri EV (2024–present)
*Škoda Enyaq (2020–present)
** Škoda Enyaq Coupé (2022–present)
* Škoda Elroq (2025–present)
* Volkswagen ID.3 (2019–present)
*Volkswagen ID.4 (2020–present)
** Volkswagen ID.5 (2021–present)
* Volkswagen ID.6 (2021–present)
* Volkswagen ID.7 (2023–present)
** Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer (2024-present)
* Volkswagen ID. Buzz (2022–present)
** Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo (2022–present)

File:2021 Audi Q4 e-tron Sport 35.jpg, Audi Q4 e-tron
File:Audi Q5 e-tron 008.jpg, Audi Q5 e-tron
File:Cupra Born.png, Cupra Born
File:Cupra Tavascan DSC 7784.jpg, Cupra Tavascan
File:Ford Capri (2024) Auto Zuerich 2024 DSC 6382.jpg, Ford Capri EV
File:Ford Explorer EV IMG 1308.jpg, Ford Explorer EV
File:Å koda Elroq IMG 2651 (cropped).jpg, Å koda Elroq
File:Skoda Enyaq iV 80 – f1 03052021 (colour corrected).jpg, Škoda Enyaq
File:2020 Volkswagen ID.3 1st Front (1).jpg, Volkswagen ID.3
File:2020 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro (Netherlands) front view.jpg, Volkswagen ID.4
File:Volkswagen ID.5 GTX 1X7A0318.jpg, Volkswagen ID.5
File:Volkswagen ID.6 Crozz 2022010301.jpg, Volkswagen ID.6
File:Volkswagen ID.7 IAA 2023 1X7A0374.jpg, Volkswagen ID.7
File:2022 Volkswagen ID.Buzz at NYIAS 2022, front right.jpg, Volkswagen ID. Buzz

Concept vehicles

*Cupra Raval
* Å koda Epiq
* Volkswagen ID. Buggy
* Volkswagen ID. Life
* Volkswagen ID.2all/ID.GTI

File:Cupra_Raval_(concept)_IAA_2023_1X7A0429.jpg, Cupra Raval
File:VW I.D. Buggy Genf 2019 1Y7A5934.jpg, Volkswagen ID. Buggy
File:Volkswagen ID.Life Concept IAA 2021 1X7A0070.jpg, Volkswagen ID. Life
File:Volkswagen ID. 2all IAA 2023 1X7A0651.jpg, Volkswagen ID. 2all
File:Volkswagen ID.GTI Concept IAA 2023 1X7A0198.jpg, Volkswagen ID. GTI

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.

Ford

In late 2018, the companies announced talks about the sharing of technology. In 2019, the planned volume was doubled from 600,000 to 1.2 million. Two models are planned to be produced by Ford, the Explorer EV and the Capri EV.

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. 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.

Mahindra

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

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 . 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 .

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 , 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.

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.

Production numbers

Global market share

See also

* Volkswagen ID. series
* Volkswagen Group Premium Platform Electric – a similar platform for premium cars
* Volkswagen Group Scalable Systems Platform – a similar platform to be introduced from 2026
* List of Volkswagen Group platforms
* Hyundai E-GMP – a similar multi-vehicle electric platform

References

External links

Volkswagen Group corporate website

{{Volkswagen Group brands

Electric vehicle platforms
MEB platform