The Volkswagen Group is opening its electric vehicle (EV) platform to other manufacturers in an effort to drive down costs.

Projections suggest some 15 million pure EVs could be based on its Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) in the first wave, with e.Go Mobile AG based in Aachen, Germany, the first external partner to use the electric platform to launch further electric vehicles in addition to Volkswagen’s model range.

Dr Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, said: “We will make individual mobility CO2-neutral, safe, comfortable and accessible to as many people as possible.

“I am delighted that e.GO has become the first partner to use our electric platform as the basis for a jointly-defined vehicle project.”

Dr Günther Schuh, CEO of e.GO Mobile AG, added: “We are extremely pleased the Volkswagen Group offered us this cooperation. The MEB platform will make us faster, more robust and cost-efficient.”

Volkswagen is investing almost €44 billion (£37bn) in electrification, digitalisation, mobility services and autonomous driving through to 2023, of which €30bn (£25bn) is earmarked for e-mobility alone. EVs are expected to account for approximately one quarter of the model portfolio by 2025.