New SSP architecture would underpin the Volkswagen Group
Highly flexible architecture would spawn 40 million vehicles
As part of yet another electrification announcement, Volkswagen has included some interesting plans for future vehicle platform sharing. After working to shrink the number of platforms the automaker uses, it may have finally hit the ultimate mass production target. One single platform to be used by all of its vehicles.
Just a few years ago, every vehicle size class used a platform of its own. Even vehicle sizes replicated across multiple brands could be on separate chassis, leading to more costs and more complexity. Volkswagen Group was a pioneer in reducing this, and its latest trio of MQB, MSB, and MLB platforms were leaders in shared efficiency.
For electric models, Volkswagen Group had developed the MEB platform for mainstream models and PPE for its larger high-end models. Now, it will make the final reduction.
One unified architecture, called Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) will be used starting from 2026. It will be all-electric, fully digital, and highly scalable. Volkswagen Group plans to be able to build all of its vehicles on this one common architecture.
“Introducing the SSP means leveraging our strengths in platform management and building on our capabilities to maximize synergies across segments and brands. In the long run, our SSP will significantly reduce complexity in mechatronics,” said Audi CEO Markus Duesmann. He added that “it particularly is the enabler to manage future challenges in vehicle development, as cars become more and more software-oriented.”
More than 40 million vehicles are expected to be built on the new platform and, like the current MEB, the platform will be open for other automakers to license and build their own cars. Volkswagen is building a new research and development center to work to speed up the development of the platform.
