Intelligent platform strategies reduce the time and costs involved in developing electric vehicles. Porsche Engineering has extensive expertise in platform development and supports its customers from the initial concept idea all the way to the production-maturity vehicle. The result is platforms that are flexible and positioned for the future.
One single platform for a multitude of vehicle models: This approach has been followed for years now for combustion-engine vehicles, helping to develop a large number of different models and derivatives and to bring vehicles to series production at justifiable expenditure of time and money. In production, the approach results in economies of scale: Fewer components in high volumes reduce component costs and ensure high product quality. Volkswagen was one of the pioneers of a consistent platform strategy with its Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB). Since 2012, it has formed a shared foundation for a large number of models with gasoline or diesel engines. More than 32 million vehicles based on this platform have been produced across the Group. Volkswagen was quick to apply the principle of the MQB to electric vehicles with its Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB), improving development and production efficiency in this field, too.
The new Premium Platform Electric (PPE), developed in tandem by Audi and Porsche, adds to the electric vehicle platform concept’s scope of application. For Porsche, this creates new opportunities to launch high-volume models with high technical standards at profit, thus taking the electrification of its portfolio another step further. The Stuttgart sports car manufacturer intends for more than 80 percent of its new deliveries to be fully electric by 2030. The PPE makes it possible to capitalize on the benefits of an all-electric platform in a variety of ways. One example, beyond package and space, is integrating the lithium-ion battery into the underbody. In fleshing out the design amid the conflicting requirements of range, performance and sustainability, Porsche remained true to its philosophy by focusing on travel time. At the same time, the architecture offers lots of leeway when it comes to the wheelbase, track width, and ground clearance, allowing for a variety of performance levels for models with either rear- or all-wheel drive in different segments.
An independent character
This flexibility allows Porsche models to retain their strong, independent character. To start off with, system output will cap at 450 kW, with maximum torque at more than 1,000 Nm. The first Porsche based on the PPE will be the all-electric Macan. With its 800-volt architecture, powerful latest-generation electric motors, and advanced battery and charge management, this model offers the level of electric vehicle performance you’d expect of Porsche. The successor to the acclaimed compact SUV has its sights set on becoming the sportiest model in its segment. Besides reproducible best-in-class driving performances, development goals include a range suitable for long-distance travel and high-power fast charging.
The benefits a platform for electric vehicles might offer are obvious—designing one, however, presents the engineers with a highly complex challenge. A myriad of aspects need to be taken into account, while some of the development goals stand in outright opposition to one another. This is generally true for any kind of vehicle, but applies especially to those with electric drives. After all, the individual drive components offer greater leeway when it comes to design than you get with a combustion engine—for example, in setting up the platform for broad scalability or making it flexible enough to allow the modular drive system to serve as a basis for entirely different vehicles. The platform makes it possible to implement rear-wheel, all-wheel, or front-wheel drive simply by choosing the position of the electric motor or even by adding another one— something a combustion engine does not allow.
Porsche Newsroom
One single platform for a multitude of vehicle models: This approach has been followed for years now for combustion-engine vehicles, helping to develop a large number of different models and derivatives and to bring vehicles to series production at justifiable expenditure of time and money. In production, the approach results in economies of scale: Fewer components in high volumes reduce component costs and ensure high product quality. Volkswagen was one of the pioneers of a consistent platform strategy with its Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB). Since 2012, it has formed a shared foundation for a large number of models with gasoline or diesel engines. More than 32 million vehicles based on this platform have been produced across the Group. Volkswagen was quick to apply the principle of the MQB to electric vehicles with its Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB), improving development and production efficiency in this field, too.
The new Premium Platform Electric (PPE), developed in tandem by Audi and Porsche, adds to the electric vehicle platform concept’s scope of application. For Porsche, this creates new opportunities to launch high-volume models with high technical standards at profit, thus taking the electrification of its portfolio another step further. The Stuttgart sports car manufacturer intends for more than 80 percent of its new deliveries to be fully electric by 2030. The PPE makes it possible to capitalize on the benefits of an all-electric platform in a variety of ways. One example, beyond package and space, is integrating the lithium-ion battery into the underbody. In fleshing out the design amid the conflicting requirements of range, performance and sustainability, Porsche remained true to its philosophy by focusing on travel time. At the same time, the architecture offers lots of leeway when it comes to the wheelbase, track width, and ground clearance, allowing for a variety of performance levels for models with either rear- or all-wheel drive in different segments.
An independent character
This flexibility allows Porsche models to retain their strong, independent character. To start off with, system output will cap at 450 kW, with maximum torque at more than 1,000 Nm. The first Porsche based on the PPE will be the all-electric Macan. With its 800-volt architecture, powerful latest-generation electric motors, and advanced battery and charge management, this model offers the level of electric vehicle performance you’d expect of Porsche. The successor to the acclaimed compact SUV has its sights set on becoming the sportiest model in its segment. Besides reproducible best-in-class driving performances, development goals include a range suitable for long-distance travel and high-power fast charging.
The benefits a platform for electric vehicles might offer are obvious—designing one, however, presents the engineers with a highly complex challenge. A myriad of aspects need to be taken into account, while some of the development goals stand in outright opposition to one another. This is generally true for any kind of vehicle, but applies especially to those with electric drives. After all, the individual drive components offer greater leeway when it comes to design than you get with a combustion engine—for example, in setting up the platform for broad scalability or making it flexible enough to allow the modular drive system to serve as a basis for entirely different vehicles. The platform makes it possible to implement rear-wheel, all-wheel, or front-wheel drive simply by choosing the position of the electric motor or even by adding another one— something a combustion engine does not allow.
Porsche Newsroom
