Ford Talking With VW About Using MEB Platform For More EVs

It doesn't make sense to just use the architecture for a single electric vehicle.

We've known for some time that Ford and Volkswagen have made official plans to work together on projects related to future electric vehicles, as well as self-driving technology. Essentially, VW will let Ford use its EV platform — MEB architecture — as a foundation for an upcoming electric car.

Volkswagen Group has been working on the MEB platform since 2016 and has since invested $7 billion in it. It will serve as the foundation on which an onslaught of electric vehicles will be produced by the group at some point in the future.

VW has already committed to allowing others access to the architecture. The automaker was in talks with Ford for months about teaming up moving forward. While Ford will benefit from the use of the platform, VW will be able to up its profitability by having the MEB architecture in use outside of its walls. Meanwhile, the German automaker also benefits from Ford's work in self-driving vehicle technology.

With all of this being said, it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Ford to only use VW's platform for a single vehicle. President of Ford Europe Stuart Rowley told German business publication Handelsblatt precisely that. It's not a sound financial decision to only produce one model on the MEB platform. Instead, Ford plans to add a second model, and it could happen soon. Rowley said:

"Yes, we are in talks about this."

Ford has already announced plans for the first EV using VW's modular electric toolkit. It will come out of the automaker's European operations for the respective market. Over a six-year period beginning in 2023, Ford says it will deliver some 600,000 MEB-based EVs in Europe.