Autocar reported , citing Volkswagen management, that the upcoming ID.2 will mark the beginning of the transition of the brand's entire model range to the new, cheaper-to-produce MEB Plus platform. This architecture is the next step in the evolution of the existing MEB.
The biggest change in MEB Plus compared to MEB will be the use of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. This battery technology is slightly inferior in terms of energy density to nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells, which are currently widely used by Western automakers, but it is cheaper. Therefore, LFP batteries are particularly popular in China.
VW also claims that LFP technology will be coming to other VW MEB models shortly after the ID.2. This means that ID.3, ID.7 and ID.4 could also become significantly cheaper. The switch to LFP will also entail a change in the design of the vehicles. However, the technical specifications have not yet been disclosed.
The LFP batteries will be supplied from the Volkswagen Group's new battery plant in Salzgitter, Germany. The facility will also produce current-generation NMC batteries on a smaller scale until they are replaced by more advanced storage devices.