Volkswagen revealed what’s in store for it MEB three-speed tram architecture.
It plans to offer a range of up to 700km, DC super-fast charging up to 200kW and a 0-100km/h time of just 5.5 seconds when equipped with all-wheel drive.
Currently, the best MEB vehicles can offer is a range of 553 km on a WLTP cycle (in the ID.3 Pro S), a 170kW DC charging source (in the ID.3 Pro S).I. Buzz), and the 0-100km/h time is 6.2 seconds (ID.5 GTX).
As part of the presentation at UBS Paris Electric Car Day, the Volkswagen brand presented the schedule of both existing and upcoming MEB-based vehicles.
Only two more will be released: a production version of the ID. Concept life in 2025, and a mid-size sedan and wagon coming in 2023 which Volkswagen is now calling Aero.
The latter seems to be more likely to offer the 700 km range figure, being a larger vehicle that can support a larger battery.
While Volkswagen hasn’t exactly outlined plans to surpass its current range figure and 0-100km/h time, it’s possible it will do so through the use of a larger battery or more power, as well as new electric or modified motors.
Volkswagen has been able to produce more range and higher charging speeds with over-the-air updates, with the latest offering ID. models with a 77kWh battery pack, the maximum DC charge rate is 135kW – previously 125kW.
Sitting above the MEB-based models in the Volkswagen range will be the flagship Trinity fastback, which will enter production in 2026.
It will use a new architecture called Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) that will succeed today’s MEB and even upcoming PPE architectures.
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Trinity
It will have a range that surpasses even the longest-range MEB-based model, with a claimed electric range of “more than 700km” and will also offer Level 4 autonomous driving technology.
Volkswagen will produce it at a new plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, and aims to have one model built every 10 hours.
Volkswagen says it will achieve that goal with fewer components, more automation, leaner production lines and new logistics concepts. It will also offer a limited number of Trinity variants to reduce manufacturing complexity.
The new $3 billion plant is a test of sorts, with operations carried out here gradually filtering to the company’s other plants.
Volkswagen wants electric vehicles to account for at least 30% of its sales in the European Union by 2025, increasing to 70% by 2030 and 100% by 2035.
By 2030, it aims to make up at least 50% of its sales in China and the US for electric vehicles.
We’re yet to see any MEB-based Volkswagens in Australia, and it looks like the first MEB model sold here will come from elsewhere within the Volkswagen Group.
The Cupra was bornclosely related to Volkswagen ID.3, has been confirmed to launch locally in the first quarter of 2023.
Volkswagen’s ID.4 is expected to launch in 2023, but the brand has yet to give a specific launch date.
