Global automakers are fiercely competing to develop platforms that serve as the skeleton for electric vehicles (EVs). Platform technology, alongside securing batteries, is seen as a key competitive edge in leading the era of EVs.
According to industry sources on Sept. 19, Volkswagen Group is in the process of developing its next-generation electric vehicle platform named Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) with a completion goal set for 2026. This entirely digitized and scalable system platform will serve as the foundation for all electric vehicles under Volkswagen, Audi, and other brands within the group. The overall investment cost for SSP is expected to be 30% less than their current platform, MEB, which was introduced in 2018 and implemented in their first ID electric vehicle brand series.
Porsche and Audi, the luxury brands under the Volkswagen Group, utilize the high-performance EV platform J1. The upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron and the next-generation Porsche Macan EV models are expected to feature the enhanced PPE platform, an improved version of J1.
Hyundai Motor Group, in collaboration with a U.S. EV startup based in LA in 2020, launched its exclusive E-GMP EV platform. This platform has been implemented in all their subsequent electric vehicle launches including the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, EV6, EV9, and GV60. Hyundai Motor Group is currently developing the eM sedan-specific EV platform and the Es next-generation Purpose-built Vehicle platform.
General Motors (GM) in the U.S. is fervently developing its BEV3 third-generation dedicated platform known for its versatility in being applied to both passenger cars and commercial vehicles. China’s BYD, the world’s top EV seller, implemented its latest Cell-To-Body (CTB) technology in the Seal model released last year. This involves using the battery as the vehicle’s body, a technique first introduced by Tesla in 2020, termed Cell-To-Chassis (CTC). This has increased energy density by 15-20%. Tesla was the first company to introduce an EV platform, launching the Model S in 2014 with a “skateboard platform” where the battery is laid flat along the bottom of the vehicle.