It’s time for the Fully Charged’s Robert Llewellyn to review the new Volkswagen ID.3 electric car.
The ID.3 introduces the brand’s third era, and democratises electric mobility after the original Beetle – the People’s Car, which took mobility to the masses – and the Golf, which brought innovation and luxury to the motoring public.
The ID.3 is produced in Volkswagen’s Zwickau plant in the east of Germany. The Zwickau factory is entirely powered by renewable energy, with many third-parties in the supply chain also using green energy. Where carbon emissions are unavoidable, for example during shipping, CO2 emissions are compensated by supporting internationally recognised climate protection projects. As a result the ID.3 is delivered as a carbon neutral product according to the TÜV Nord Standard TN-CC 020. The ID.3’s low environmental impact can be continued into the car’s working life, should owners choose to charge it using renewable energy.
Thanks to the packaging benefits of the MEB (modular electric drive matrix) platform, the ID.3 boasts a wide range of talents, including the turning circle and agility of the up! city car, the compact footprint of a Golf, with similar interior space to the Passat and off-the-line acceleration comparable to a Golf GTI. With a modular battery pack design, the ID.3 series model will be available in the near future with multiple battery capacities, to suit a variety of range requirements. The 58 kWh, 204 PS ID.3 1ST boasts a 260-mile range, with rapid charging capability of up to 100 kW – this means that 180 miles of range can be added in as little as half an hour.
Spoiler alert – it’s safe to say Robert loves this car.