A few days ago, Volkswagen and Tesla, Herbert Diess, and Elon Musk held a Germany meet. The American brand’s executive director was able to get behind the wheel of the new Volkswagen ID.3 and get to know the imminent Volkswagen in the first person.
This meeting was widely publicized by Volkswagen and by Diess himself, aware of Musk’s media power. However, the manager made it clear at all times that the meeting was informal and that Volkswagen and Tesla have no intention of collaborating on electric mobility, thus silencing the rumors that indicated a possible alliance between both manufacturers.
Now, it has been known that Diess has also had the opportunity to test a Tesla vehicle; in this case, the Model Y, a direct rival to the ID.4 (both models will be located in the D-SUV segment). It is interesting to remember that at present, the Model Y is not sold in Europe, since all the units destined for the old continent will be manufactured in Giga Berlin, which will start operating in mid-2021.
“Of course, I also tested a Tesla Model Y with my colleague Frank Welsch. This car is a benchmark for us in many aspects (not all!): User experience, upgradeability, driving characteristics, performance in its top-of-the-range versions, cargo network and autonomy “, praised Diess.
The executive has also taken the opportunity to criticize those manufacturers that do not build their electric cars from scratch, such as BMW or PSA (Peugeot-Citroën, Opel): “Great advantage: the Model Y has been thought of like a car electric [from the beginning], same as ID.3. Many of our competitors still use their thermal platforms. The result: they are not getting the best electric vehicles.”
The cornerstone of Volkswagen’s electric strategy will be the use of three highly flexible modular platforms:
- the MEB Entry, for small and affordable vehicles
- the MEB, for mid-range cars
- PPE, designed for performance, luxury, and large models
Groups such as the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Hyundai are also betting on using dedicated platforms in their electric cars.