Automotive

Volkswagen premieres its first pure EV, the ID.3

Volkswagen premieres its first pure EV, the ID.3
Volkswagen gave us a decent look at the ID.3 and opened up preorders for the all-electric hatchback in May
Volkswagen gave us a decent look at the ID.3 and opened up preorders for the all-electric hatchback in May
View 10 Images
Volkswagen gave us a decent look at the ID.3 and opened up preorders for the all-electric hatchback in May
1/10
Volkswagen gave us a decent look at the ID.3 and opened up preorders for the all-electric hatchback in May
A look inside the freshly premiered ID.3
2/10
A look inside the freshly premiered ID.3
VW says the long wheelbase of the MEB platform and short overhangs have allowed for an extra roomy cabin inside the ID.3
3/10
VW says the long wheelbase of the MEB platform and short overhangs have allowed for an extra roomy cabin inside the ID.3
The VW ID.3 is billed as an everyday car
4/10
The VW ID.3 is billed as an everyday car
The five seats inside the VW are joined by a central ten-inch touch display with integrated voice control
5/10
The five seats inside the VW are joined by a central ten-inch touch display with integrated voice control
The ID.3 will be available with three battery options covering 330 km, 420 km and 550 km (205 mi, 260 mi and 340 mi) of range
6/10
The ID.3 will be available with three battery options covering 330 km, 420 km and 550 km (205 mi, 260 mi and 340 mi) of range
The VW ID.3 will arrive in three battery variants and shoulder a lot of the German automaker’s electric ambitions as it gears up for a zero-emissions offensive
7/10
The VW ID.3 will arrive in three battery variants and shoulder a lot of the German automaker’s electric ambitions as it gears up for a zero-emissions offensive
The ID.3 is the first VW built for electric propulsion from the ground up.
8/10
The ID.3 is the first VW built for electric propulsion from the ground up.
All ID.3 models will support fast 100 kW charging which VW says will provide 290 km (180 mi) of range within 30 minutes of plugin time
9/10
All ID.3 models will support fast 100 kW charging which VW says will provide 290 km (180 mi) of range within 30 minutes of plugin time
It appears the ID.3 will be limited to a Europe release for now
10/10
It appears the ID.3 will be limited to a Europe release for now
View gallery - 10 images

We have seen Volkswagen roll out a string of future-focused concepts as part of its ID family, but it has now taken to the Frankfurt Motor Show to give the lineup’s first production vehicle a full premiere. The ID.3 will arrive in three battery variants and shoulder a lot of the German automaker’s electric ambitions as it gears up for a zero-emissions offensive.

Volkswagen gave us a decent look at the ID.3 and opened up preorders for the all-electric hatchback in May. Shown off with a pretty wild pink and blue paint job, it revealed the ID.3 would be available with three battery options covering 330 km, 420 km and 550 km (205 mi, 260 mi and 340 mi) of range on the WLTP cycle.

We now know that comes courtesy of 45 kWh, 58 kWh and 77 kWh battery packs built into the underbody. The first to reach customers will be the limited launch edition, mid-tier 58 kWh ID.3 IST model that VW started pre-booking in May. Its battery powers an electric motor mounted at the rear axle to spin up 150 kW and 310 Nm of torque, pushing the car to a maximum speed of 160 km/h (100 mph).

The VW ID.3 is billed as an everyday car
The VW ID.3 is billed as an everyday car

Charging rates will vary, but all models will support fast 100 kW charging which VW says will provide 290 km (180 mi) of range within 30 minutes of plugin time. It is unclear if this will come as standard on higher end models, or how much extra it might cost.

VW has introduced electrified versions of existing internal combustion engine vehicles in the past, such as the e-Golf and e-Up, but the ID.3 is the first built for electric propulsion from the ground up. It is based on VW’s MEB architecture consisting of a skateboard chassis with a lithium-ion battery slotted neatly into the floor, which it plans to use as a foundation for its forthcoming generation of electric vehicles.

In this case, VW says the long wheelbase of the MEB platform and short overhangs have allowed for an extra roomy cabin, where the five seats are joined by a central 10-inch touch display with integrated voice control. The top-end ID.3 IST Max will also feature an augmented reality display, Beats sound system and panoramic sliding glass roof.

A look inside the freshly premiered ID.3
A look inside the freshly premiered ID.3

VW hopes to use the MEB platform and ID family to really make some inroads in the electric vehicle space, with plans to bring “almost 70 new electric cars onto the market by 2028," according to CEO Herbert Diess. Other concepts set for production include the van-based ID. Buzz, the sedan-based ID. Vizzion and the SUV-based ID. Crozz.

The ID.3 is billed as an everyday car and as the first cab off the rank, will be a hugely important model for VW as it tries to move on from the infamous diesel-gate scandal of 2015. All 30,000 of the mid-tier, launch edition ID.3 IST’s have been snapped up at under €40,000 (US$44,200) a pop, while the base model will be priced at under €30,000 ($33,000). It appears the ID.3 will be limited to a European release for now, with no word just yet on pricing for the top-of-the-line ID.3 1st Max.

Source: Volkswagen

View gallery - 10 images
9 comments
9 comments
KaiserPingo
LOL.
They are so far behind.

But the VW Propaganda Abteilung is running !
Georgie
Wonderful news.However if they(all electric carmakers) are really serious about electrifying the roads they should seriously take a relook at the pricing of the electric car.Currently they are still more expensive than alternative fuel vehicles(,although
Georgie
However advanced and Wow,it still does not represent a full car.As such I do not think it justifies the price tag.After all it is still mostly used for short distances.I understand the development of batteries are expensive as well as all the added luxury.The motors are not rocket science.My plea and suggestion is that they should rather focus on the baseline models to simplify it down to the basics such as safety and basic comfort.Cut all the stuff like heated seats,sunroofs In short remove all accept critical stuff to get the lowest price possible to get this 1/2 cars AFFORDABLE please.Those who want luxury can then buy the luxury models.I hope they see and think about it.It appears that the carmakers are losing touch with their customers.
JANMAHOMED SULEMAN
I want this car in South Africa! I am not a fan of small cars though but i am still willing to be the 1st customer to buy their high range car. Mercedes is also coming with its all electric car. But I want this car to be 1st. Please let me know if i can get it asap.
Aross
It all sounds interesting but I have a few of problems with most of the electric cars. Range, recharge times, price and the fact that nobody seems to mention what the loss of range is in cold weather when heating and defrosters are working at full tilt.
I also don't understand why everyone is focusing on recharging when the option of standard swap-able batteries would be a better option. The only problem here would be getting all the independent minded car manufacturers to agree on the standard.
guzmanchinky
Excellent news. It seems the big giants are starting to wake up to the future. I just cannot wait for that announcement someday of the first battery powered car that can charge in 5 minutes. It's coming, and it will change the world forever.
moreover
Volkswagen group has a major advantage in that their BEV platform is used for Audi, SEAT, Škoda and VW. That represents billions of savings for development and allows for a broad range of EVs at a cost its competitors can not touch. There's also significant brand loyalty.
OwkayeGo
10 pictures but none of the back seat. Thanks guys.
dugnology
For all those who print negative comments about electric cars, copy and paste them to a note and look at them 5 years from now and see if you have the same opinion.

The problem with the nay-sayers is that they are looking for a 100% solution 100% of the time. No, you are not going to be able to go on very long trips without lengthy recharging, nor will it be as cheap as a gas or diesel car, But, it will be virtually maintenance free, and in time the charging networks will pop up literally everywhere. It is not like a gas station that requires 10,000 gallon tanks and environment impact studies, it is just an electric charging box. And, yes, in 5 years they will be the same price or cheaper than an comparable ice car. These cars are second generation electrics, like the second generation LCD screen TV's or computers. They will be cheap and much easier to use. Think of recharging stations that take a 1/2 hour outside of shopping centers. If you have a normal commute to work, you might have to charge only once or twice a week. My third electric is a Tesla Model 3. I had a leaf and an eGolf. Having the previous cars taught me how to plan for an electric, and the Tesla has way more range than I need on an average day. The chargers will come faster than you think.