Volkswagen Group is preparing to bring its next generation of electric cars to market in 2028 on a new platform as its brands strive to keep up with Chinese rivals in the EV race.
“This is our new architecture, which we plan to use from 2028,” VW brand chief Thomas Schaefer said at an anniversary event for the VW Golf, according to the German newspaper Handelsblatt, referring to the software-defined scalable systems (SSP) platform.
The date was backed up by internal VW documents viewed by Handelsblatt. VW had previously said that the platform would arrive at the end of the decade.
VW Group CEO Oliver Blume halted the plans for the SSP platform when he took over from his predecessor Herbert Diess in 2022, after problems with software development led to delays.
In March, Blume announced that VW would have its first software-defined vehicles on the road by 2028.
The latest announcement comes as VW's EV sales are seeing a slump reflected across the market in general.
Through March, VW’s EV sales fell 24 percent, leading the automaker to cut shifts and introduce short-time working at German sites in Emden and Zwickau.
Kerrigan Advisors’ proprietary annual OEM Survey of over 100 executives reveals that the majority of respondents are worried about the financial impact of Chinese automakers’ growing global market share, and most expect that the EV transition to be slower than expected. The survey also queried executives on their outlooks for dealership valuations and profitability, as well as their expectations for the future of dealer networks and facility requirements.
VW and its fellow European automakers are battling escalating Chinese competition as rivals introduce cheaper EVs on the European market.
Domestic automakers in Europe have been slashing costs and devising new strategies to remain competitive.
Fast charging SSP platform
The SSP architecture will be based on the latest generation of software from VW Group’s software subsidiary Cariad.
VW, Audi and Porsche will employ different versions of the SSP architecture, which will allow vehicles to charge in about 12 minutes and supports Level 4 automated driving, Handelsblatt said.
The first VW Group vehicle to benefit from SSP will be VW’s Trinity electric flagship model, which will be built in Zwickau, Saxony.
With software at the forefront of the new platform, VW will be keen to avoid previous problems that dogged new vehicle launches.
Next Golf
The eighth generation of VW’s iconic Golf will launch as a full-electric model on the SSP platform and will continue to be built in the automaker's main plant in Wolfsburg, Germany.
VW is hoping the new architecture will lower development costs, while boosting EV sales.
Currently, a team of developers and managers from Cariad, Audi and VW are working on the new architecture in both Silicon Valley and Germany.
