VW's MEB platform to spin off 27 EVs by 2022

Volkswagen Group has announced its new MEB (Modular Electric Toolkit) platform will be the key to rapidly rolling out an incredible 27 different battery-powered models from now until 2022.

Set to be used by the manufaturing giant's Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT and Skoda brands, the new architecture will underpin everything from small city cars to the spiritual successor to the iconic Microbus.

Perhaps more impressive, the 27 MEB-based models will be built in addition to the pure-electric cars spun off the car maker's larger C-BEV platform that's used for the Audi e-tron, plus the more advanced J1 architecture that the Porsche Taycan sits on.

In total, the German group has estimated that it will offer customers more than 80 electric cars across all its brands by 2025.

The huge number of electric variants follows Volkswagen's declaration that it will invest $7 billion ($A9.7 billion) in developing zero-emission vehicles following the Dieselgate emissions crisis.

Featuring a flat battery pack mounted low in the floorpan, Volkswagen says MEB-based vehicles will offer class best handling and generous interior space.

Incorporating new battery tech, VW says its batteries will be capable of being charged from flat to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes.

The car maker hasn't yet confirmed what range its next-generation pure-electric vehicles will come with but about 400km is expected for the long-range models.

The first MEB-based vehicle is expected to be the small Golf-sized I.D. hatch that's due to enter production at the end of 2019.

Following its launch, in 2020 the car maker will introduce an I.D. Crozz SUV and I.D. Buzz – inspired directly from the much-loved Microbus.