VW talks openly about licensing MEB platform to rivals

VW confirms for the first time that it intends to open up its MEB platform for electric vehicles to competitors. There is also growing evidence that Volkswagen is planning to sell an electric car for less than 20,000 euros in the near future.

“Our modular construction system for electric cars – Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB) – should not only be a standard for the VW Group,” Michael Jost, responsible for strategy at the core brand VW, told the German Tagesspiegel.

VW is already in “advanced talks” with some competitors, especially in the volume segment, Jost explained but without naming any names. There have been rumours for some time that Ford could license the MEB as part of the expanded cooperation with VW (we reported).

Jost also confirmed that VW is planning a cheaper entry-level model in line with the ID. announced for next year. “From 2023, or 2024 at the latest, we will also be launching an E-model the size of a T-Roc for less than 20,000 euros,” said the head of strategy.

Such news had been floated before when VW prmoised an e-Up with a bigger battery. While the compact EV does not utilise the MEB platform, it still may build the base for a whole range of cheap electric vehicles reportedly.

tagesspiegel.de (original source in German)