Volkswagen and Mahindra & Mahindra are collaborating with the new “Born Electric Platform” by Mahindra. With that, they will be collaborating on the MEB electric components’ use. The deal is such that the automakers will agree on evaluating the scope of their collaboration. MEB electric components like electric motors, battery cells, and battery system components could make use of the Born Electric Platform.
According to the agreement, the agreement could possibly end by 2022 or continued depending on the evaluation. The design of the open vehicle platform is such that the components can be used to build cars. The car portfolio can be built much quicker and in a cost-effective way. Both the companies share the same objective to electrify the Indian automotive market. It will be a key element in the decarbonization globally in the mobility sector.
Volkswagen Group Board Management member for Technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group components, Thomas Schmall talked about the collaboration. Said, “Mahindra is a pioneer in the electric mobility space in India and a great partner for our MEB Electric Platform. Together with Mahindra, we want to contribute significantly to the electrification of India, a huge automotive market with enormous growth potential and high relevance for climate protection. 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.”
Top Automotive markets globally
India is one of the Global Top-5 Automotive Markets with about three million vehicles per year. According to current forecasts, the market could grow to up to five million vehicles by 2030. So far, the market has been dominated by vehicles with diesel or petrol engines. However, at the 2021 Climate Summit in Glasgow, India undertook only to register zero-emission passenger cars and vans, starting in 2035. As a result, the electrification of the passenger car segment is expected to gain significant momentum in the coming years. Industry experts anticipate that in 2030 more than half of all new vehicles will be fully electric.
Commenting on the partnership, Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, Auto, and Farm Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., stated: “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 Vison.”
Later added that the complementarity of their extensive technology, vertical integration in supply chains, and extensive technology would be included. They will be used to develop its next-gen “Born Electric Platform” that is yet to be revealed in the US soon.
