VW and Ford partner on AV tech and EVs

Volkswagen and Ford are expanding their global alliance to focus on autonomous vehicles (AV) technology and electric vehicles (EVs). VW is to invest $2.6 billion in Argo AI, an AV technology company backed by Ford. The partners will integrate Argo AI’s self-driving system into purpose-built vehicles to support initiatives focused on moving people and goods. As part of the deal, Ford is to use VW’s EV architecture and Modular Electric Toolkit - or MEB - to deliver zero-emission vehicles in Europe f
July 18, 2019 Read time: 1 min

994 Volkswagen and 278 Ford are expanding their global alliance to focus on autonomous vehicles (AV) technology and electric vehicles (EVs).

VW is to invest $2.6 billion in Argo AI, an AV technology company backed by Ford.

The partners will integrate Argo AI’s self-driving system into purpose-built vehicles to support initiatives focused on moving people and goods.

As part of the deal, Ford is to use VW’s EV architecture and Modular Electric Toolkit - or MEB - to deliver zero-emission vehicles in Europe from 2023.

Ford is hoping to deliver more than 600,000 vehicles using the MEB architecture over six years, with a second Ford model.

VW CEO Dr. Herbert Diess says: “Scaling our MEB drives down development costs for zero-emissions vehicles, allowing for a broader and faster global adoption of EVs.”

Related Content

  • August 11, 2021
    Consortium to study UK eHighway feasibility 
    Partners including Siemens hope overhead electricity lines will serve major roads by 2030s
    Read More
  • February 17, 2017
    Autonomous driving and emissions regulations fuelling 48v power-net
    The launch of autonomous vehicles and a host of electronic components render the current 12-volts (v) battery nearly unusable, says a new report by Frost & Sullivan, Strategic Analysis of the Global 48v Power-net Market. To meet stringent global emissions regulations and offer a basic semi-autonomous system, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) must electrify components while offering a bigger source of power. Therefore, OEMs plan to migrate to a 48v power-net and use two voltages. Heavy-duty, power-h
    Read More
  • October 28, 2019
    C/AVs could mean cheaper roads
    The safety benefits of C/AVs have long been promoted – but research suggests they should also contribute to cheaper roads. David Crawford investigates the potential benefits in infrastructure costs Building narrower freeway lanes to accommodate the enhanced route-tracking capabilities of connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs), running in platoon conditions, could result in cost savings of £0.5 million (€0.56 million or US$6.5 million) for every km of road length built. Such benefits could be secur
    Read More
  • April 29, 2016
    VW and Shell try to block EU push for electric cars
    VW and Shell have united to try to block Europe’s push for electric cars and more efficient cars, saying biofuels should be at heart of efforts to green the industry instead. The EU is planning two new fuel efficiency targets for 2025 and 2030 to help meet promises made at the Paris climate summit last December. But executives from the two organisations launched a study on Wednesday night proposing greater use of biofuels, CO2 car labelling, and the EU’s emissions trading system (ETS) instead.
    Read More

Highlighted Content