This new EV platform should help Volkswagen get back on its feet (but only European news)

Volkswagen he brought the happy news of his first born through a press release out. The platform is based on the latest EV platform from Xpeng (‘E/E Architecture’) and the name on the birth announcement is: ‘China Electrical Architecture’ (CEA).

A major advantage compared to the MEB platform that Volkswagen itself developed in Germany and in, among others, Volkswagen ID.3, Volkswagen ID.4 in Volkswagen ID.7 used is that it is 40 percent cheaper to produce. It uses a supercomputer and has up to 30 percent fewer electronic control units than the MEB platform.

Tesla it works with the same design, using as little wiring and parts as possible for cost efficiency.

Volkswagen and Xpeng will develop an SUV

But it’s coming: the new platform is currently only aimed at Volkswagen’s electric models built in China. The first result is expected to be on the market in 2026. This will be an SUV that has been developed together with Xpeng. This must be done faster than ever before; Volkswagen’s goal is a development time that is 30 percent shorter.

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A breeze is welcome

It is understood that China is given priority. It is the largest car market in the world and this is where Volkswagen can use the wind. In 2023, Volkswagen sold about 155,000 ID models. That is less of a niche brand Yes (160,000) and much lower than Tesla (600,000). Volkswagen’s low was the pre-order ID.7, the counter stood at 300 units 72 hours after the order books opened…

Electric cars are cheaper in China compared to Europe, so Volkswagen wants to regain market share by lowering the cost of EVs. The new platform should help with this.

The Volkswagen ID.2 gets the MEB platform

No matter how the new EV platform from Volkswagen and Xpeng sounds, the question remains whether we Europeans will benefit from it. In its announcement, Volkswagen openly talks about the ‘In China, for China’ strategy. It doesn’t mention anything about the promised 25,000 euro affordable EV that European consumers are eagerly awaiting. The Volkswagen ID.2 will probably be released in early 2026 and is expected to be on the MEB platform. Although this is about the new ‘Entry’ version.