PSA reveals common modular platform for future models

The PSA Group is looking to maximise gains with its new vehicle platform – Common Modular Platform or CMP – revealed today at the Paris Motor Show.

As part of its Push To Pass strategic plan, Groupe PSA has been scaling back the number of its platforms worldwide in a bid to sustainably optimise the effectiveness of its R&D costs and its industrial and production processes. This initiative, the automaker says, will lead to the manufacture of all PSA Group passenger cars on two multi-energy platforms, namely the Efficient Modular Platform 2 (EMP2) launched in 2013 and the Common Modular Platform (CMP) first launched with the DS3 CROSSBACK.

The new models made on these two platforms will be available in internal combustion (petrol and diesel), electric and hybrid versions in tune with the transition of energy deployment.

The core models, essentially city cars from all Group brands, will be produced utilising CMP. Starting in 2019, the platform will also be available in a variant equipped with a 100% electric powertrain (eCMP). PSA plans to launch seven new electric vehicles produced on eCMP by 2021. The mid and high-end body styles of the five PSA Group brands will be produced on EMP2 platform. In addition to petrol and diesel engines, EMP2 will also facilitate the Plug-in Hybrid petrol-Electric Vehicle powertrain (PHEV). By 2021, the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands are to launch eight new PHEVs.

PSA says CMP is dedicated to the manufacture of all compact city cars (B segment), entry-level and mid-range saloons (C segment) and compact SUVs, from Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel or Vauxhall brands. It complements EMP2, which covers the development and manufacture of vehicles in the C, D and SUV segments.

CMP targets a high level of modularity, particularly in terms of dimensions (two track widths, three wheelbases, three rear modules and the capability to offer several wheel diameters), allowing Groupe PSA to provide to introduce broad range of body styles, from city / urban cars and saloons to SUVs.

CMP can be optimised to make internal combustion and electric versions on the same production line. 

Starting in 2019, Group PSA says it will be able to manufacture the latest generation of electric vehicles on CMP. They will be equipped with a 100kW (136hp) electric motor, a 50kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a high-performance heat pump.

The platform already accommodates the latest generation of internal combustion engines equipped with the most efficient pollution control systems on the market, including the PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engine (engine of the year for the fourth consecutive year in 2018) and the latest 1.5l Blue HDi diesel engine fitted with SCR technology, meeting the most stringent environmental standards, particularly in Europe and China.

CMP has been designed and optimised to limit CO2 emissions by leveraging all of the factors that contribute to lower consumption:
- Weight reduction: up to 1.2 g CO2/km decrease using high-performance materials such as advanced and ultra high-strength steel (AHSS and UHSS), press hardened steel, aluminium and composites.

- Better aerodynamics: up to 1.5 g CO2/km reduction by smoothing the underbody and using controlled air intake systems on the vehicles’ front end.

- Lower rolling resistance: up to 2.5 g CO2/ km decrease by using Class A tyres and reducing mechanical friction on the axles.

- Optimised powertrains: up to 9 g CO2/km reduction by improving conventional engine output, downsizing, reducing mechanical friction, elongating transmission systems, deploying Stop-Start technology on the 1.2l PureTech82 engine. The benefits will vary depending on the model and powertrain.

CMP rollout to PSA Group plants worldwide
The new platform will be rolled out from December 2018 to plants around the world in two years. The close-to-the-customer international rollout will allow models to be specifically tailored to all markets. This will make it possible to produce differentiated models in Groupe PSA’s key strategic regions: Europe (France, Spain, Slovakia), Asia (China), Latin America (Argentina, Brazil) and Africa (Morocco, Algeria).

CMP, it is learnt, was developed in France by PSA along with its partner Dongfeng Motors for an international rollout. R&D costs were split 50:50. The partnership has enabled Groupe PSA to achieve R&D savings, but also to access a wide range of competitive local suppliers, improve its knowledge of the Chinese market so as to meet customer expectations in that region, and boost its production volumes.

The advent of the new modular, multi-energy and global CMP platform is facilitating the production of efficient vehicles at optimised costs, as purchases and production are pooled to achieve efficient economies of scale. All production sites have become more flexible due to their versatile, matching facilities, where operators can expertly assemble both the internal combustion version and the electric version. CMP guarantees greater efficiency of vehicle manufacturing at all production facilities. It is designed to allow for fully automated body assembly.