VW’s ID.3 BEV to Come in Three Variants
VW has finally unveiled the ID.3, the brand’s first fully electric car and the first vehicle based on VW’s MEB platform.
There will be three versions of the BEV when it goes on sale in mid-2020. THe first, ‘basic’ variant will have a 45kWh battery, good for 205 miles of driving according to WLTP tests. The second variant has a 58kWh battery, enough for 260 miles before needing to be recharged. Finally, the largest battery capacity will be 77kWh, which will see it do 341 miles a charge.
The car is driven by an electric motor on the rear axle, generating 100kW on the basic version and up to 150kW on the mid-range and top tier models. There are differences in the models when it comes to charging, too: owners of the basic variant will get 50kW charging for free, but will have to pay to get access to 100kW charging rates. The mid-range 58kWh version gets 100kW for free, while top tier owners will have access to rapid 125kW chargers.
Inside the car is much like you’d expect: as there’s no engine taking up space, and with the MEB platform’s long wheelbase design, the interior is “expansive, setting new standards in the compact class”, VW says. A 10-inch touchscreen dominates the inside, with a display in the cockpit showing the driver relevant information.
The car is also launching with basic ADAS features, such as cruise control on highways, lane keep assistance, and braking assistance. VW says in the future the ID line will come with more autonomous features, but for now this is what the initial version of the ID.3 is launching with.
The basic, lowest range ID.3 will be available for ‘under €30,000’, VW says, equating to £26,881 or $33,124, and will go on sale in mid-2020.
