Mahindra & Mahindra has signed a partnering agreement with German auto major Volkswagen to explore the use of the latter's modular electric-drive toolkit (MEB) electric components for its upcoming electric vehicles.
Mahindra is planning to unveil the range of its next-generation electric vehicles in July 2022 under the Born Electric Platform. Its deal with Volkswagen is to evaluate the scope of collaboration for fitting components from the German car manufacturer in this upcoming range of vehicles.
Mahindra intends to equip its Born Electric Platform with MEB electric components such as electric motors, battery system components and battery cells, reveals a joint statement from the two auto companies.
The shared objective of the two companies is to electrify the Indian automotive market, one of the most important automotive growth markets and a key element in the global decarbonisation of the mobility sector, it further adds.
The partnering agreement evaluates the scope of collaboration — it indicates binding rules for the evaluation phase as well as the non-binding scope of supply. The binding supply agreement will be negotiated in a continued constructive and legally compliant way to conclude by the end of 2022, the statement further adds.
Designed as a modular, open vehicle platform, the MEB electric platform and its components allows car manufacturers to build their portfolio of electrified vehicles, quickly and cost-effectively. Volkswagen has employed the platform in a variety of vehicle classes, and claims ranges of over 500 km.
Presently, Volkswagen’s MEB Electric Platform is used by the group brands Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and SEAT/CUPRA as well as external partners. Responsibility for these partnerships has been assigned to the Platform Business unit created specifically for this purpose.
Earlier this year in March, Volkswagen had expanded its e-mobility partnership with Ford, where the latter will produce another electric vehicle for the European market based on the MEB platform.
Commenting on partnership with Mahindra, Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components, says, “It’s another proof point that the MEB is both technologically state of the art and highly competitive in terms of cost. The MEB is thus progressively developing into the leading open platform for e-mobility, generating significant volume and economies of scale. That’s crucial for every company in the EV world and the key to competitive solutions for our customers.”
“We are very pleased to have Volkswagen, a significant global investor in the electric mobility space, as a strategic partner in achieving our ambitious Born Electric Vision. The complementarity of their extensive technology, innovation, and vertical integration in supply chains, will provide a framework to develop our next gen Born Electric Platform, to be revealed soon in Oxfordshire UK,” says Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director, auto and farm sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra.
