Developing a good platform is one of the main keys to the success of an electric car. Some manufacturers who have tried without much success to take advantage of previous developments are increasingly aware of it. But an electrical system needs much more than simply changing one motor for another, and that is why brands like the Chinese giant Geely have launched into the creation of a platform that will also be open-source, and that will be licensed to other brands.
The new Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), presented this past Wednesday, has been described by the Asian manufacturer as “an open-source platform available for use by group brands such as Volvo or Lotus, as well as by third-party companies.”
It is a flexible design that will allow it to be adapted to different segments and configurations, just as Volkswagen has done with its MEB. That way, you can have one, two, or up to three electric motors, and it even has space to house a gasoline range extender.
According to Chinese media, Geely is in talks to license the technology to various manufacturers, including the Daimler group that brings together brands such as Mercedes and Smart.
According to Li Shufu, founder of Geely: “This architecture marks the biggest step forward at Geely in more than a decade. This far-reaching innovation will greatly expand the volume and scalability of our zero-emission models.”
A platform that has been the result of four years of work and the investment of 2,270 million euros will host the next electric car of the Asian group and bears the name of the Lynk & Co Zero Concept prototype. A new model that they indicate will have a 100 kWh battery and a range of 700 kilometers with each charge, and which will be presented during the Beijing Auto Show that will start this Saturday.
As we see, a base will also be available for brands such as Mercedes, which may have a new alternative in a section that has been largely abandoned, with only a dedicated platform that will be the one that mounts the EQS. But the range urgently needs to be expanded, something that will undoubtedly help to be able to shorten deadlines and costs with an already developed base like Geely’s.
For its part, the Chinese manufacturer manages to amortize the part of the high design costs. Other brands will undoubtedly follow to make the investments in these fundamental elements profitable as soon as possible.