XPeng, Volkswagen Accelerate E/E Architecture Development at 'China Speed'

XPeng and Volkswagen have accelerated their joint development of E/E architecture, reaching key milestones at a rapid pace. The companies are working to expand the application of the architecture, with a focus on electric vehicles. Their collaboration is expected to drive innovation in the automotive industry.

XPeng Inc. and the Volkswagen Group have significantly accelerated their joint development of the Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architecture, achieving key milestones at a rapid pace. The collaboration, initially focused on electric vehicles (EVs), is now expanding to include internal combustion engine (ICE) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) platforms in China. This expansion is part of their long-term strategic partnership, aiming to drive innovation in the automotive industry.

The collaboration began with a master agreement signed in July 2024, which has now led to the signing of an agreement on expanding the E/E architecture technical collaboration. This agreement will see the E/E architecture integrated into Volkswagen's electric vehicle platforms and deployed across its ICE and PHEV platforms in China. This move is expected to significantly expand the scale of vehicles equipped with this industry-leading E/E architecture, enabling Volkswagen to achieve faster software iterations and over-the-air (OTA) updates, and significantly shorten vehicle development cycles.

XPeng's CEO, Xiaopeng He, highlighted the significance of this milestone, stating, "The Expanded Technical Collaboration marks a significant milestone in the ongoing strategic collaboration between XPENG and the Volkswagen Group." Volkswagen's CEO for China, Ralf Brandstätter, emphasized the competitive and cost advantages in China's intense auto market, stating, "By extending the China Electronic Architecture to our robust combustion engine fleet, we are strengthening our technological leadership in the conventional powertrain sector."

This expanded technical collaboration is part of Volkswagen's software-defined vehicle strategy, which aims to enhance its global competitiveness. The joint R&D teams have validated that the E/E architecture designed for electric vehicle platforms can be adapted to ICE and PHEV platforms, demonstrating the synergy and strategic value of the long-term partnership between both parties.

The collaboration is expected to create significant platform-driven economies of scale and enhance product competitiveness for Volkswagen. This move also aligns with XPeng's mission to become a smart technology company trusted and loved by users worldwide.

References:
[1] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/08/15/3134027/0/en/XPENG-and-the-Volkswagen-Group-Announce-Entry-into-Agreement-on-Expanding-E-E-Architecture-Technical-Collaboration.html
[2] https://www.aol.com/volkswagen-expands-xpeng-partnership-speed-120358633.html