The Volkswagen ID.3 Electric Car: Though Not A Beetle Revolution For the Mass-Market, The EV Is Nevertheless Destined For Success!

An Important Step For The Volkswagen Group, As It Executes Its EUR 30 Billion Electrification Ambitions With An All-Electric Hatchback!

The success of Volkswagen in the 20th century was a direct result of the Beetle revolution. An affordable car for the mass-market ‘the people’s car‘. As we progress with the maturity of the global electric driving market, the automotive manufacturer that is able to replicate the magic of ‘practicality and affordability’ in an electric vehicle (EV), will be destined for similar success in the 21st century.

Volkswagen (VW), the German automotive manufacturer has come a long way since the emissions scandal in 2015, popularly referred to as ‘Dieselgate’ or ‘Emissionsgate’. VW has now committed to launching up to 70 new electric vehicle (EV) models in the next ten years, an increase of 40% from the 50 originally envisioned.

The Group will build up to 22 million vehicles over the coming decade. The total investment it is committing to its electrification dreams is EUR 30 billion by 2023. It aims to sell 3 million electric vehicles by 2025. The all-electric Audi e-tron and pure electric Porsche Taycan are good examples of VW’s ambition to lower emissions and electrification.

**The All-Electric Volkswagen ID.3 (credit: VW)**

The launch of the Volkswagen ID.3 five-door family hatchback is part of the company’s broader strategy, to offer affordable EVs to the mass-market via the VW ID family range of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).

The 2020 ID.3 was first shown as the concept ID prototype electric car at the Paris Motor Show in 2016.

The all-new ID.3 five-door hatchback launch model ‘ID.3 1^st Edition’ was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The EV model, an important step for Volkswagen, has been positioned as an affordable electric car for ‘everyone’. The battery-electric vehicle (BEV) ID.3 model is marked as ‘3’, as this will be the third most important chapter for the German automotive company, after the Beetle and Golf models.

vw ID 3 electric car — **The All-Electric Volkswagen ID.3 (credit: VW)**

The Volkswagen ID.3 green car is currently available in two battery sizes: medium (58 kWh) and large (77 kWh). However, a third and smaller EV battery will also be available in due course (48 kWh). The smallest EV battery is expected to have a zero-emission electric range of 200 miles. The medium has a claimed WLTP range up to 260 miles, while the largest battery option has a claimed range closer to 340 miles. The smallest battery option EV will be capable of charging up to 50kW (DC), while the medium battery option can be charged up to 100 kW (DC). The largest battery model will be able to charge up to 125 kW (DC). The current model is available in the following variants: Life, Business, Style, Family, 1st Edition, Tech, Max and Tour.

ev charging point wallbox uk — **Wallbox EV Home Charge Point Available Via e-zoomed.**

VW ID.3 Life Electric Car (entry-level model)

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 263 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £32,990

VW ID.3 Business Electric Car

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 262 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £36,720

VW ID.3 Style Electric Car

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 261 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £37,180

VW ID.3 Family Electric Car

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 260 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £37,650

VW ID.3 1st Edition Electric Car

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 260 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £38,880

VW ID.3 Tech Electric Car

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 260 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £39,190

VW ID.3 Max Electric Car

Battery capacity: 58 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 258 miles
0-62 mph: 7.3 sec
Price: £41,220

VW ID.3 Tour Electric Car

Battery capacity: 77 kWh
Battery type: lithium-ion
Range (WLTP): 336 miles
0-62 mph: 7.9 sec
Price: £42,290

The plug-in electric car uses the MEB bespoke electric platform. Manufacturing commenced in November 2019. As another first for Volkswagen, the ID.3 is carbon neutral upon delivery to its customers.

The ID.3 has received positive reviews from Auto Car, Auto Express and What Car?. According to What Car “There are few electric cars that ride any better, unless you spend an awful lot more dosh.”

The EV battery is guaranteed for a period of 8 years or 160,000 km.

The BEV will be eligible for the UK government plug-in car grant (PiCG).

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For those individuals skeptical about the inevitable shift from polluting internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to zero-emission electric cars, the significant commitment to electrification from automotive behemoths, like Volkswagen, is another firm reminder that the migration to electric vehicles is happening now.

This is not a story of just one more EV model, the ID.3. Rather a broader message for automotive manufactures: ‘to remain relevant to consumers, the commitment to electrification has to be now and comprehensive‘. For those OEM’s that fail to grasp the demand for electric cars, the future is limited to the scrapyard.

It is not only about new and better performing electric cars, but also about increasing affordability. VW is right to position this important all-electric model as ‘affordable’ and mainstream.

We expect the ID.3 to achieve success, however, it will not be a ‘Beetle revolution’. For this, we need a car with the same qualities as the ID.3, but priced far lower. We at e-zoomed have no doubt that within the immediate term the an all-electric ‘people’s car’ will become a reality! Let us hope Volkswagen is able to replicate its success in the 20th century!