In German, Modularer E-Antriebs Baukasten (translated as Modular Electric Drive Kit), MEB is to electric vehicles what MQB was to combustion engine cars within the Group, signifying a unified platform suitable for small and mid-sized vehicles.
MEB is pivotal for Volkswagen as the company’s first dedicated and mass-produced platform for electric vehicles. It is part of a massive €89 billion investment in future technology until 2026, covering funds for electric vehicle development, associated digitization technologies, tools and production, and mobility services.
In fact, in 2018, Volkswagen’s senior executive, Thomas Ulbrich, noted that “MEB is possibly the most important project in the history of Volkswagen, similar to the transition from the Beetle to the Golf.”
Technical Highlights
Unlike previous electric cars produced by the Volkswagen Group, such as the VW e-Golf (which was based on the MQB platform and adapted to accommodate a battery and electric motor), MEB can only support fully battery electric vehicles, requiring models based on the MEB platform to be designed from the ground up as electric cars.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the MEB architecture is its flexibility. The MEB chassis allows for the lengthening or shortening of the wheelbase and track widths, making the platform suitable for everything from small cars to sedans, SUVs, and midsize vans.
Despite variability in chassis dimensions, production costs and tools for MEB-based vehicles are reduced through economies of scale by sharing drivetrain components, batteries, and other systems like infotainment and vehicle electrical architecture.
All MEB-based models feature either single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive.
Volkswagen claims that recent improvements in battery cell chemistry for upcoming MEB vehicles mean the platform can now be used to build vehicles with over 700 km of range, DC fast-charging exceeding 200 kW, and a maximum acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in under 5.5 seconds.
This is an improvement over the original estimates that MEB vehicles could offer a range of over 550 km with DC fast-charging up to 125 kW.
Automakers often subcontract the development of their infotainment systems to external suppliers. However, as part of its investments in digitization, the Volkswagen Group established an independent division known as CARIAD in 2020 to internally incorporate software development for all VW Group brands.
MEB marks the debut of CARIAD’s first in-house infotainment system, known as E3 v1.1, bringing a new user interface and features like wireless software updates.
Globally, a range of MEB-based vehicles is available. Perhaps the most significant is the Volkswagen brand’s ID series, including the ID.3 (closely related to the Cupra Born) as well as the larger ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs.
Other Volkswagen Group brands are also leveraging the MEB platform. This includes the Skoda Enyaq iV and Enyaq Coupe iV, as well as the Audi Q4 e-tron and Sportback e-tron.
The Volkswagen Group expects that over 10 million vehicles in circulation will eventually rely on the MEB platform, and as part of this, the Group plans to launch several other models on the MEB architecture.
The model closest to launch is a production version of the VW ID. Aero concept, which will give the brand a competitor to the Tesla Model 3.
