Announced today: MEB electric toolkit An MEB electric toolkit for future use in compact segment vehicles is to be developed based on the experience gained with existing vehicle architectures. This will be a multi-brand toolkit suitable for both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles and will thus leverage synergies from other electric vehicle projects in the Group. The standardized system will be designed for all body structures and vehicle types, thus allowing particularly emotional vehicle concepts, and will enable an all-electric range of 250 to 500 kilometers. Phaeton redefined – the future is electric The Volkswagen Phaeton has embodied the brand's technological competence and brand ambition from the first generation onward. The future generation of the Phaeton will once again be the flagship for the brand's profile over the next decade. In light of this, the Board of Management redefined the current project. The specification features a pure electric drive with long-distance capability, connectivity and next-generation assistance systems as well as an emotional design. VOLKSWAGEN BRAND BOARD OF MANAGEMENT TAKES STRATEGIC DECISIONS : Volkswagen US Media Newsroom
I've read this several times and still have no idea what the is really happening here. But with "Electric Tool Kits", "Vehicle Architectures", "Synergies" and "Body Structures" and "Emotional Vehicle Concepts" I can only assume it's akin to a monolith filled with stars.
Probably this will answer the "what" is this thing VW To Focus On Electric, Plug-In Hybrid Tech, Slash Spending Due To Diesel Scandal Toolkit in VW speak is a platform that is shared accross cars and brands using common parts. The new toyota platform is one reason the gen IV prius was delayed. VW/Audi has like ford used their regular platform to make phevs and bevs (a3, golf, jetta, etc). Now they will make a new one, or modify it so that it can works for clean sheet phev and bev designs. The new toolkit isn't targetting the short range bev, but starts at 250 km (155 miles but probably nedc). Plus they are cutting R&D on non-green cars, and vow to use scr systems in american and europe on their diesels (china may still get the big polluters).
