Volkswagen considers moving to Xpeng’s Chinese electric architecture
Volkswagen is weighing the use of Xpeng's Chinese electric architecture instead of Rivian's platforms for future Skoda and Cupra models. No decision has been made yet.
Gurban Gurbanzadeh1 min read
Volkswagen is considering the possibility of switching to Xpeng's Chinese electric architecture instead of Rivian's platforms for future Skoda and Cupra models. No decision has been made yet.
What is known about the plans
Volkswagen is currently developing two separate electric platforms: one for Europe, which uses Rivian's technologies and into which the company previously invested significant funds, and another for China. According to the source, the move to Xpeng's architecture could save the company between four and five billion euros through the unification of platforms.
If the decision is adopted, the Chinese developments are planned to be used in 75 percent of all future European novelties from Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra.
Arguments of the sides
Supporters of the idea believe that Xpeng's architecture and software will help keep prices down on mass-market models, which are most sensitive to pricing policy. Opponents point to security risks when integrating Chinese technologies. They also fear that adapting Xpeng's architecture to European platforms and regulatory standards would be too expensive.
A decision on the move to a single architecture has not yet been made.
Source: lenta.ru
