Two weeks from now, Volkswagen’s ID family of EVs
will make the long-awaited transition from concept to production as the first
model people can actually buy will be officially unveiled. VW has just confirmed that the
ID.3 will debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, bringing “ground-breaking
design, greater ranges, impressive driving dynamics and spacious interior.”
The compact production EV will be joined on stage by
other unnamed concept vehicles from the ID family. VW likens the ID.3 to the
Beetle and the Golf — that’s how important it anticipates the model to be for
the company.
Based on the new modular electric drive matrix
(MEB), the 2020 VW ID.3 will be the carmaker’s first EV built from the ground
up with all-electric propulsion in mind. The EV platform allowed for “the
largest possible vehicle interior,” according to Volkswagen.
More importantly, the carmaker promises range
anxiety will be a thing of the past with the ID.3 which offers three different
battery sizes. The base 45 kWh unit can store enough juice for a driving range
of 330 kilometers while the top 77 kWh battery extends the range to
550 km. A medium-sized 58 kWh battery will also be on offer with
420 km of range.
VW also says the ID.3’s batteries will offer
“excellent charging capacity.” For example, a range of approximately 290 km can be recharged in just 30 minutes on the base model using 100 kW
charging. The carmaker says the capacity of the ID.3 batteries is guaranteed to
last for eight years or 160,000 kilometers. Besides convenience, the 2020 VW
ID.3’s rear-wheel drive and 204 PS of power delivered by the
rear-mounted electric motor promises driving pleasure as well.
Last but not least, the ID.3 will be priced in
Germany from under € 30,000, which roughly equates to US$ 33,100 at the current
exchange rates. Production will start at the end of 2019 and the first vehicles
are scheduled to reach customers by mid-2020.
