8 Important Questions Answered About VW Electric Vehicles (+video)
What is the MEB?
The Modular Electrification Toolkit (also known as “MEB” for short) is a flexible modular system for manufacturing electric vehicles that’s currently being developed by Volkswagen. The MEB has been in development since 2015 and is an important effort designed to make building electric vehicles more efficient than in the past.
What makes MEB so special?
When VW first started designing electric vehicles, it was for a niche market. The idea of an electric vehicle for the mass market wasn’t yet a reality. The MEB is now being specifically developed to help realize this vision. It ensures the vehicle is optimally equipped for electric vehicle requirements by taking into account what axles, drive units, wheelbases, and weight ratios need to look like. It also considers the best design and position for the batteries.
Why the need for a new modular toolkit?
The MEB is being specifically developed to make the manufacture of electric vehicles more efficient — and potentially less expensive — in the long term. The MEB will allow Volkswagen to produce electric vehicles with a more systematic focus and to cater to increasing demand for electric vehicles.
Are there vehicles out today based on the MEB?
Not yet. The first of the Volkswagen-branded electric cars to go on sale in North America will be the VW ID Crozz compact crossover in 2020. That will be followed by an as-yet-unnamed electric sedan that hasn’t yet been shown as a concept. Then will come the Volkswagen ID Buzz, the wildly popular all-electric reinterpretation of the classic VW Microbus (this information is all taken from Volkswagen press releases, but is subject to change).
Will drivers notice the difference?
Future generations of vehicles based on the MEB could bring advantages such as full torque from a standstill, rear-drive and the advantages it brings to traction and acceleration, optimized driving balance (thanks to the lower position of the battery), and better digital functions.
Will the MEB impact the design of the vehicle interior?
Yes. Components installed in the vehicle floor would free up an unexpected amount of space in the interior. For example, the outside length of the concept ID. is similar to that of the Golf. However, it could offer a similar amount of interior space as a Passat. The dashboard insert is more compact and the position of the centre console can be varied.
What are the biggest challenges when developing the MEB?
Ever-changing technology, efficiency, and costs. Future elements like digitalization, connectivity, and fully automatic driving will also need to be factored into the MEB. Retrofitting hardware in a defined architecture is always a challenge, so digital locking systems for car sharing or sensors for autopilot should be implemented in the MEB right from the start.
What significance does the introduction of the MEB have for Volkswagen?
The “TRANSFORM 2025+” strategy foresees the sale of one million Volkswagen electric vehicles per year by 2025 (accounted for by around 30 different models across the group). Meeting this strategy depends on the MEB and the high- volume series production of electric vehicles it will allow.
Stay tuned to these pages for more information on Volkswagen’s upcoming MEB electric vehicles.
